Page:Notes and Queries - Series 2 - Volume 1.djvu/393

 2<" S. N 20., MAT 17. '56.]

NOTES AND QUERIES.

385

LONDON, SATURDAY, MAY IT, 1856.

UNPUBLISHED LETTER OF JZAAK. WALTON.

The following is a copy of a letter from Izaak Walton, of which the original autograph is among the MSS. in the library of Trinity College, Dublin. ''

Dublin.

I came well from Winton to London, about 3 weikes past : at that time I left Do r Hawkins well : and my dafter (after a greate danger of child berth) not very well, but by a late letter from him, I heare they be boeth in good health.

The doctor did tell me a gowne and some bookes of y" were in danger to be lost, though he had made (at a distance) many inquiries after them, and intreated others to doe so too, but yet inefec- tually. He theirfore intreated me to undertake a search : and I have donne it so succesfuly that uppon thursday the 24 instant they were cttt to that letter carryer that Inns at the Rose in Smith- feild, and with them the Life of Mr. George Her- bert (and 3 others) wrapt up in a paper and directed to you at Rodon Temple, the booke not tyed to the bundell, but of it selfe. The bundell cost me 3s. 8 d. carryage to London, and I hope it will now come safe to your hands.

What I have to write more is my heartie wishes for y r hapines, for I am

y r affec. frend and seruant,

IZAAK WALTON.

Nou' 26, 1670.

If you incline to write to me, direct your letter to be left at M r Grinsells, a grocer in King streite in Westminster. Much good doe you with the booke, w ch I wish better.

ffor my worthy frend M r

Edward Ward,

att Rodon Temple, nere vnto

Lester.

dtf p a 3 d.

Att Mr. Babingtons, att Rodon Temple.

GATJTHERN S " PROPHETIC REFORMER.

It is not unfrequently with books as with men, certain of whom are so entirely devoid of utility or any quality which can make mankind unwilling to let them die, that we can only account for the notice which they still from time to time receive, on the score of the titles which separate them from the herd. It is upon this that

" The tenth transmitter of a foolish face," depends for his place in history, whether Hume's or Debrett's ; and thus the catchpenny author seeks by the jangle of his Stokers and Pokers, and

the spasmodic poet by the ?<napt alliteration of his Pippa Passes and such fialderdash, to secure for their productions the temporary notice to which their intrinsic merits would never be found to en- title them. But it is of a title-page, rather than a title, of which I am now about to speak ; and as it relates to a book which, from the small number of copies printed, is not likely often to occur for sale, its entire transcription may not be thought unacceptable. It runs as follows :

" The Prophetic Reformer : or the Age of Religion, and the Fruits of the Age, truely uncovered. By an unpo- pular Believer that 'the wrath to come ' inow coming! a Believer that 'the nations' are angry!' &c., as Rev. c. xii. v. 18. William Gauthern, North Newton, near Banbury, Oxfordshire.

" Thy kingdom come : thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven." Matt. ch. vi. v. 10.

" This book, observe, is not Pain's ' Age of Reason ; ' 'Tis not a book of Blasphemy, nor Treason ; Nor a religious book, but otherwise, A book of Truth, or of Prophetic Lies, One or the other ; and if any man Would prove it lies, then let him if he can : But who dare try to prove Christ's God a liar, That feareth God, or Christ, or endless fire ?

Printed for the publick good, by myself, William Gatt them, North Newton, at a make-sbift press upon my 'house-top;' and necessarily published by myself, Wil- liam Gauthern, because a certain Religious Bookseller has conscientiously refused to publish God's truth ! O, alas! On account of the unpopularity of genuine Truth, only 110 Books, with a needful Supplement, are printed for sale. Sold by me, William Gauthern, and by my Agents. Price, seven shillings and sixpence, in boards. 1826."

Next follows the " Author's apology and Gospel advice," in which we are told that " the aged and unlearned author of this unpopular book of Scrip- tural prophecy has been his own writer, composi- tor, corrector, reviser, and pressman ; " on which ground he begs "of the more learned readers thereof to be so considerate as freely to excuse his imperfections in spelling, and grammatically word- ing the same, &c., and also his other imperfections in the art of printing." At the end of his preface he confesses that,

" Such like matter as is contained in this book has so much and for such a length of time so completely ab- sorbed his thoughts, that some irrational religionists, as he has heard say, suppose him a madman, but of this he shall leave the rational part of the publick to judge for itself; he certainly is not yoked together with unbelievers ; and has no fellowship with them ; God knoweth that he is come out from among them, and that he now stands separate; therefore he expects to be looked upon as an, odd fellow, so long as his name is William Gauthern."

The book consists of no less than 316 pages, besides the " needful supplement" of 36. It needs no apology for typographical incorrectness, being perfectly secundum artem throughout. Of the vaticinal delirations of our prophet I do not speak, especially as (p. 60.) he logically shows that " no