Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 5.djvu/316

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NOTES AND QUERIES. [9* s. v. APRIL 21, 1900.

Chap-booh The horse, who never had before

Been handled in this kind. Affrighted fled And as he flew

Left all the world behind.

Poems, second ed., 1786. The horse, who never in that sort

Had handled been before, What thing upon his back had got

Did wonder more and more.

And again :

Chap-book. The youth did ride and soon they met ;

He tried to stop John's horse

By seizing fast the flowing rein ;

But only made things worse.

Poems, second ed., 1786. The youth did ride, and soon did meet

John coming back amain, Whom in a trice he tried to stop

By catching at his rein."

The subject is continued by LiEUT.-CoL FERGUSSON ; and J. O. writes that he has a neat little volume entitled

" The Life of J. Gilpin, taken from divers MSS in possession of the Family. To which is added, by way of Appendix, the celebrated History of the ' Journey to Edmonton,' as read by Mr. Henderson at F. Mason's Hall. Bladon printer, 1785.

"Oxford Street, London, April 14, 1785.

".Certificate.

" I do hereby certify this Publication a true and nine Account of the Life of my deceased

genuine tion, J. G.

Rela- FRANCIS GILPIN.

Then follows a coarse burlesque biography, ending with the journey, and dedicated to Henderson, third edition, with a frontispiece, which last has disappeared, but another by the elder Cruikshank supplied, representing the hero passing the 'Bell.' On the fly-leaf is preserved this cutting :

" ' Gilpin's Rig, or the Wedding Day kept : a Droll Story. Read by Mr. H. at F. M. Hall, and Mr. Baddely at Drury Lane Theatre, containing an account of J. G., the Bold Linen Draper of Cheap- side ; how he went farther and faster than he intended, and came home safe at last.' This called 'probably the first edition printed separately.' Another of my Gilpiniana is 'The Facetious Story of J. G., &c.' with a second part containing ' The Disastrous Accidents which befel his Wife on her Return to London,' 12mo. pp. 23, London, Fisher, 1792."

And on the 17th of May my old friend MR. EBSWORTH mentions that he has a curiously illustrated * Second Journey of John Gilpin,' belonging to a date near the first appearance of Cowper's original. ' John Gilpin ' forms the subject of three long communications signed M. P. May 8th and 22nd, 1880, and June 24th, 1882.

MR. T. S. NORGATE, on the 29th of November, 1879, in reply to a request of MRS. CHAMPNEY in the previous August as to Cowper's translation of Homer's 'Iliad' (in

ix. 11. 623-635, and in the Greek 11. 498-508), gives the passage with Cowper's note : "Prayers are Jove's daughters, wrinkled, lame,

slant-eyed,

Which though far distant, yet with constant pace Follow Offence, &c. On which his note of comment is :

" ' Wrinkled because the countenance of a man driven to prayer by a consciousness of faith is sorrowful and dejected. Lame because it is a remedy to which men recur late, and with reluctance. And slant-eyed either because, in that state of humiliation, they fear to lift their eyes to heaven, or are employed in taking a retrospect of their past misconduct.'"

The number for the 3rd of January, 1880, contains the first draft of the poem of ' The Rose,' sent by MR. FRED. LOCKER, who pos- sessed this first draft in the poet's autograph. MR. LOCKER remarks that it is interesting as showing how much Cowper altered and im- proved his poems.

On the 1st of July, 1882, it is denied that the stone to John Gilpin in St. Margaret's Churchyard, Westminster, marks the grave of the hero of Cowper's poem. The writer, who signs himself AN OLD INHABITANT, is sorry

to disturb an illusion so pleasant and so harm-

ss ; but I am the person who under the order of one of the family oi a modern John Gilpin had the original faded inscription re-engraved."

The John Gilpin in question was a licensed victualler carrying on business at the " Mitre and Dove," at the corner of King Street, Westminster.

The eighth volume of the Sixth Series con- tains notes in reference to the removal of the old pulpit and the gallery which contained Cowpers seat from the church at Olney. A. J. M. states on the 7th of July, 1883, that Cowper's pew used to face the pulpit ; " but about eighty years ago some earlier Scott, some mute inglorious Gilbert, removed it, and placed it where it now is, on the south side of the chancel arch. The same ' restorer ' broke up the carved chancel screen with axes and hammers ; but tie did not destroy it, he made out of it the sides of a curious low octagon platform, on which he placed the pulpit, and a small lectern, and an arm- 3e carted away. The pulpit is, I believe, the same n which John Newton and other famous divines ised to preach, Sir Gilbert's own great-grandfather or one, the man to whom Cardinal Newman has laid that he ' owes his own soul.'"
 * hair for the minister, all which things are about to

On the 26th of July, 1890, MR. LOVELL sup- plies the following ' Memorials of the Poet ' :

" In the vestry of the church of St. Peter, Berk- lampstead, is a flat stone with the following nscription :

Beneath this stone lyes the Body of Catherine )onne who dyed May the xxix. in the year of our x>rd MD. cc. xxxiu. Aged LVIII.