Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 11.djvu/430

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NOTES AND QUERIES. [9 B. XL MAY ao,

In 1654 was published : "Miscellanea Spiritualia: Or, Devout Essayes : The Second Part, Composed By The Honourable Walter Montagu Esq ; Abbot of Nanteul, &c. [a verse in Latin from 1 Tim. i. 16]. London, Printed for John Crook, Gabriel Bedell, and Partners ; and are to be sold at the Ship in S. Pauls Church-yard, and at the Middle Temple -gate in Fleetstreet, 1654."

Like the First Part, it is dedicated " To the most Sacred Maiestie of Henrietta Maria, Daughter of France and Queen of Great Britain," in language almost blasphemous in some of its expressions. Following this there is an ' Epistle Dedicatorie ' to Mon- tagu's old friend " The flight Honourable the Earl of Leicester," the father of Lady Dorothy Sidney, Waller's "Sacharissa." In this Second Part our author attempts higher flights. He begins with a Treatise on 'Whether any Inquisition into Divine Mysteries be allowable,' and closes with observations on 'Death,' 'Eternitie and the day of Judgment.' One of the subjects he writes on, under the first named, is 'The Folly, as well as Vnchristianness of Duels.' While fully respecting the pious intentions of the author, I am compelled to say that in this Second Part the same depressing con- ditions are still in evidence ; and through- out the whole book it would be difficult to find one bright line or an utterance worthy of being remembered. Of the due proportion or fitness of things Montagu appears not to have had the slightest conception. I may mention here that in the First Part there is little or nothing indicative of the author's Catholicism ; but in the Second Part it is sufficiently obvious.

The Rev. Henry Foley,S. J., in his 'Records,' notes (vol. v. p. 604) : " He [Montagu] was converted in London by the venerable Pere Surin, S. J. Being afterwards ordained priest, he was first Abbot of St. Martin's near Pon- toise, and afterwards of Nanteuil." It will have been noticed that in 1654 Montagu although at the time filling an abbot's chair retains the courtesy titles of a layman, viz. "Honourable" and "Esq.," and also in the title-page of the little book, dated 1656, men- tioned below. I have so limited an acquaint- ance with clerical distinctions that I am not sure that 1 am right; my understanding is that in the case of, say, a cardinal or an abbot, a layman, as such, is not disqualified from filling either position. If Montagu was "ordained 'that is, exercising the functions of a priest according to the ritual of the Church of Rome would he not be obliged to discard the assumed titles of " Honourable '" and "Esq."?

It is as well to record the fact that in a volume before me, dated 1651, containing Viscount Falkland's 'Discourse of Infallibility,' there is included 'Mr. Walter Mouutague's Letter concerning the changing of his Religion.' The space occupied by this letter extends to only ten pages, the letter being dated Paris 21 Novemb. 1635."

In 1656 appeared :

" The Accomplish'd Woman. Written Originally in French, since made English, By The Honourable VValter Montague, Esq;. London, Printed for Ga- briel Bedell and Tho. Collins, at the Middle Temple Gate in Fleetstreet, 165(3." Outside the 'Epistle Dedicatory to the Dutchesse of Buckingham Her Grace/ and the leaf of ' Contents,' the volume extends to only 135 pages 12mo. It is an exceedingly readable and suggestive little book, and very well worth possessing. In the essay devoted to ' Cloathes and Ornaments,' I think Mon- tagu has interpolated something of his own (p. 117):

" Habits and words should be suited to the time : and as one would think them mad, that should speak in the Court the language of Chaucer ; so we could not judg better of such as would affect to be cloathed so too."

If the name of Chaucer really did appear in the French original, it is a very interesting fact to note. To suggest that Montagu may have written the book originally in French, and afterwards rendered it into English, would be paying him, indeed, too great a com- pliment. We have at least one contemporary reference to ' The Accomplished Woman ' in Thomas Killigrew's ' Parson's Wedding,' 1663 (Dodsley's ' Old Plays,' 1875, vol. xiv. p. 413) :

Love. Who's there? Captain, where have you been all this while ? I might sit alone, 1 see, for you, if 1 could not find conversation in books.

[She takes a book in her hand, and aits down.

Capt. Faith, madam, friends newly come to town engaged me ; and my stay was civility rather than desire. What book s that?

Love. I'll swear he was a witch that writ it ; for he speaks my thoughts, as if he^ had been within me : the original, they say, was French.

Capt. 0, I know it ; 'tis the ' Accomplished Woman' : yourself he means by this, while you are yourself.

A. S. (To be. continued.)

CHANCELLOR SILVAN EVANS'S EARLY

LIFE.

(See ante, pp. 361,394.)

THE two obituary notices of Dr. Silvan Evans already quoted from which may be taken as fair samples of what was published in the Welsh press after his decease both refer to a very favourable review of his early