Page:Notes by the Way.djvu/395

 NOTES BY THE WAY.

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��he concluded by making the memorable declaration, that if he failed in the electoral contest, and were not returned to Parliament, there were other ways by which, in retirement, he might be able to serve his country. To the shame of Edinburgh and her factions, he was defeated as a candidate. But he nobly redeemed his promise, by labouring on the ' History of England,' the first and second volumes of which were soon afterwards given to the world. To some men misadventures become benefits ; blots of obloquy are transfigured into stars of decoration. It was so with Macaulay."

There is a foot-note in the copy sent to me : " I was with my dear father, who plumped for Macaulay."

THE 'DICTIONARY OF NATIONAL BIOGRAPHY.'

The following is a list of Ebsworth's contributions to the
 * Dictionary of National Biography ' :

Bedloc, William.

Blood, Thomas.

Chiffinch, Thomas and William.

Cleveland, John.

Coleman, Edward.

College, Stephen.

Cowell, Joseph Leathley and Samuel Houghton.

Cresswell, Madam.

Dangerfield, Thomas.

Daniel, George.

Davis, William.

Deloney, Thomas.

Dibdin, Thomas John and Charles.

Dugdale, Stephen.

D'Urfey, Thomas.

Duke, Richard.

Ebsworth, Joseph and Mary Emma.

Egan, Pierce the Elder and Pierce the Younger.

Gadbury, John.

Gibson, David Cooke.

Gilfillan, Rev. George.

On the 27th of June, 1888, George Smith gave a dinner to the contributors at the Star and Garter, Richmond. Unfortunately the rain came down in torrents. " The only person who enjoyed it was the genial visitor M. Jusserand, and he rightly deserved to do so, being neither a contributor nor haunted." Ebsworth on the 8th of January, 1905, writes :

" Mention of the ' Dictionary of National Biography ' may here be coupled with my identification of the Star and Garter celebration facetiae, which became Roxburghe Ballads by my irreverently including them primarily for posthumous preserva- tionin the Ballad Society Series, Part XXVI., p. 766,"

��' Dictionary of National Biography.'

��George

Smith's

dinner to

contributors.

��Ebsworth's skit.

�� �