Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 8.djvu/10

 NOTES AND QUERIES. [9 th s. vm. JULY 6, 1901.

He also bestowed pensions on Mrs. Somerville and Faraday, and it is pleasing to record that a niece of the great chemist, Miss Jane Barnard, still enjoys a pension.

' N. & Q.' of the 8th of May, 1852, opens with a note by the Editor on Sir Robert Peel, and his claims to be remembered by the literary men of England. Mention is made of the many literary pensions granted during the time he was Prime Minister, as well as of his generosity towards Dr. Maginn, and it is proposed that a bust or statue of him should be placed in the vestibule of the British Museum.

In 1888 an investigation as to the Victorian administration of the Pension List, in refer- ence to literature, was conducted for the com- mittee of the Incorporated Society of Authors by Mr. William Morris Colles, and the result published. Mr. Colles proposes that "the sum of 1,2002. be yearly voted for the purpose of assisting distinguished men and women of letters, art, and science by granting pensions when they have arrived at the age of fifty-five or are incapaci- tated from work by ill health, mental or bodily, and their widows or daughters if they are in dis- tressed circumstances."

LITERATURE.

1851, October 10th (Lord John Russell). MRS. MARY REID.

"In consideration of Dr. Reid's valuable contributions to literature, 'and of the dis- tressed condition in which his widow and children are placed by his decease.' 501."

Mrs. Reid is the widow of James Seaton Reid, D.D. (1798-1851), Church historian, author of 'History of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland,' the third volume of which was completed by Prof. Killen, of Belfast (' Dictionary of National Biography,' vol. xlvii. p. 429).

1856, November 10th (Lord Palmerston). MR. PHILIP JAMES BAILEY.

"In consideration of his literary merits. 1002."

Born at Nottingham, 22nd of April, 1816. Author of 'Festus,' published in 1839. He was included in the honorary LL.D.s at the recent celebration at Glasgow University.

Mr. Theodore Watts in the Athenaeum for April 1st, 1876, writes that "there is, in fact, both here and in America, a large section of the public, both cultivated and uncultivated, which free from the bonds of Cal- vinism on the one hand, and from hedonic nescience and art-worship on the other feels a warm and passionate sympathy with Mr. Bailey's poem and the uniyersalism it teaches. And this sympathy in religious circles, at least is, as a matter of fact, widening. It might almost be said, indeed, that

Christianity can never even in the highest develop- ment possible to it get beyond the loving univer- salism of such opposite poets as Bailey and Burns.

Had not 'Festus' been itself preceded (by

something like four years) by Mr. Browning's 'Paracelsus,' and not followed by it, the in- fluence of Bailey would, through Dobell, have been so great upon our youngest school that his place in the history of nineteenth-century poetry would have been more important than it even is now. Yet, in the study of English poetry,

and the influence of these upon most subsequent poetry."

1858, February 15th (Lord Palmerston). MR. STEPHEN HENRY BRADBURY.

" In consideration of his contributions to literature. 501." 1861, April 19th (Lord Palmerston). Second grant.

" In consideration of his literary merit. 25Z."

A poet of the middle of the century.

1858, October 4th (Earl of Derby). MRS. SUSANNA BARTLETT.

" In consideration of the literary merits of her husband, the late William Henry Bart- lett. 75Z."

William Henry Bartlett (1809-54), author of ' Walks about Jerusalem,' ' Forty Days in the Desert,' 'The Nile Boat,' 'The Pilgrim Fathers.' He edited Sharpens London Maga- zine from March, 1849, to June, 1852 (' D.N.B.,' vol. iii. p. 335).

1861, April 19th (Lord Palmerston). Miss MARY ANNE JERROLD.

" In consideration of the literary merit of her father, the late Mr. Douglas Jerrold. 501"

Douglas William Jerrold (1803-57). His first article in Punch, signed Q., appeared in the second number, September 13th, 1841, and he was a constant contributor until ten days before his death. From 1852 he was editor of Lloyd's Newspaper at a salary of 1,0001. a year. He contributed three columns of leaders each week as well as literary reviews. He was also an early contributor to the Athenaeum. For a list of his works, &c., see ' D.N.B.,' vol. xxix. pp. 349-52.

1863, June 18th (Lord Palmerston). MR. GERALD MASSEY.

"As to a lyric poet, sprung from the people. 70/." 1887, April 1st (Marquis of Salisbury). Second grant.

"In consideration of his literary merit, and of the smallness of his means of sup- port. 30Z."

Born at Gamble Wharf, near Tring,