Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 8.djvu/84

76 sustained works, 'The Prisoner of Chillon,' 'Manfred,' 'The Lament of Tasso,' 'Beppo,' 'Ode on Venice,' 'Mazeppa,' 'The Prophecy of Dante,' 'The Morgante Maggior,' 'Francesca of Rimini,' 'Marino Faliero,' 'The Vision of Judgment,' and 'The Blues.' Its illustrations comprise a frontispiece (which is a portrait of Byron after Harlowe), a view of the prison of Bonivard, a portrait after Reynolds of Sheridan, and others of John Hopkham Frere and Robert Southey. The introductions still supply much useful information, and constitute one of the most agreeable features. In that to 'The Vision of Judgment' Mr. Coleridge holds the scales with complete impartiality, supplying at the same time a full account of the conditions that led to Byron's outburst. The introduction to 'Mazeppa' furnishes many curious and interesting particulars not easily obtainable elsewhere. In the case of 'Manfred,' a sublime work, the publication of which is deeply to be regretted, much judgment is displayed, both in what is said and what is left unsaid. It is little likely that the true Byron will be set before the present generation, borne of the poems in the volume are given for the first time. They do not constitute a perceptible addition to the value of the volume. Of the edition we can only repeat that it may well be final.

volume has been compiled with great care. The introduction is so good that we cannot help wishing that Mr. Shaw had been somewhat more diffuse, for there are several matters in the body of the work which for most of us require interpretation. It will certainly be very useful to every one who takes an interest in the revenue and expenditure of the country in the earlier half of the eighteenth century. We need hardly, however, say that there is little or nothing which illustrates the manners of our forefathers, or is in any degree picturesque. Sir Walter Scott himself could not have found in its pages suggestions for a romance. There is among the Treasury papers a series of books named "Lowther's Accounts," which have been regarded as a record of payments for secret service. This seems to be a tradition of long standing. We ourselves at one time gave credit to it; but Mr. Shaw, by printing a portion thereof, has disproved what was from the first a mere conjecture. It is, in fact, merely "a petty bounty list," not a record of payments for services which there was urgent necessity for keeping secret. Lowther's Christian name was Thomas, and that is about all we know concerning him. It is not improbable that he was a member of the great Northern family of which Henry, Viscount Lonsdale, was then the head; but we are not aware that evidence exists to place this beyond the region of unsupported conjecture. Newspapers were of little account during the Stuart time—our rulers could well afford to despise them—but during the reigns of the early Georges they had become influential as guiding opinion, and the Ministers of the day thought it expedient to have them well in hand. The press laws in this country could not be applied on the rigorous continental systems so when necessity arose bribery, feeing, or purchase had to supply the place of the cheaper methods of fine and imprisonment. In 1735 we find one man, John Walthoe, receiving for several papers which are named over 3,760l. The whole of the newspaper payments which are recorded under this head during the year amounted to the large sum of 6,797l. 18s. 4d. We had hoped to find a good deal of incidental information concerning the Jacobites, but have been disappointed. The reason probably is that the rewards given for the services of those who acted as spies have not been recorded, or the accounts were kept in private hands. The reports of the emissaries, if preserved, which is doubtful, must occur elsewhere. A petition has, however, come to light of Margaret, the wife of Matthew Buchanan, a prebendary of the diocese of Clogher, who prays for the relief of her seven children, on the ground that her husband had been an army chaplain, had "written a book against Popery which had made many converts," had discovered the invasion of Scotland in 1715, and also had apprehended one of the Earl of Mar's agents who had been sent over to Ireland. We have failed to trace this lady's husband either in his literary capacity or in the more dangerous service of apprehending Jacobite plotters.

(9ᵗʰ S. vii. 387, 520). I am told that Messrs. Taylor & Son, of Northampton, have for sale the Index to the First Series of 'N. & Q.,' in the original cloth, price 1l. 5s.

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