Manners, Customs, Pastimes, &c.; King's Monumenta Antiqua; all the portions of Pegge's Curialia; Dugdale's Baronage; the various and numerous collections of Ancient Records, printed by order of Parliament; Gough's splendid work on Sepulchral Monuments; Dugdale and Stevens's Monasticon Anglicanum; and Nichols's Illustrations of the Manners and Expenses of Ancient Times, rank amongst the scarcest and most desirable of the works in British Antiquities.

The division of British Topography contains few of our county-histories, and is rather defective in the scarcer publications. We should expect to find this the strongest portion of the Catalogue, because it presents objects of growing interest.

The extensive suite of volumes on Grecian, Roman and Italian Antiquities, by Grævius and Gronovius, to which the illustrious Gibbon paid the full tribute of his admiration, is appropriately placed in our public libraries, and that of Bristol is fortunate in possessing the works complete.

In French History we find early editions of Froissart and Monstrellet, with the judicious translations of them, by the late Colonel Johnes.

Under the head of Jurisprudence and General Policy, I was rather surprized to see Paine's Age of Reason. The class of Natural History unites some excellent works: the Transactions of the Linnæan, Geological, and Wernerian Societies; Sloane's Natural History of Jamaica; Merian's Insects of Surinam; Rashleigh's Specimens of British Minerals; and the splendid work of Knorr on Petrifactions.

With the exception of Gower de confessione Amantis, 1554, the Mirrour for Magistrates before mentioned, and

a collection of Plays by Shirley, in four volumes quarto, there is nothing of scarcity or early date in the Poetical department.

We notice some very important and valuable books under the class of Grammar. In Greek, Stephen and Scott's Thesaurus; the Lexicons of Kuster and Damm; and Du Fresne's Glossary to the Greek writers of the middle and later ages. In Latin, Stephen's Thesaurus, Gesner's Thesaurus; Du Fresne and Carpentier's Glossary to the Latin writers; and the folio edition of Ainsworth's Dictionary. In Hebrew, the valuable Concordance to the sacred writers, by Calasius; and Castell's Lexicon Heptaglotton. To these we may append, Lye's Saxon Dictionary, by Manning; Bullet's Celtic Dictionary, and the now excessively rare Thesaurus of the learned and erudite Hickes.

Under Bibliography and Typography, are some useful guides in the choice of books, although none of any great rarity.

There are a few Manuscripts, but they contain nothing of interest or curiosity.

In March of the present year, there was printed a Supplement to the Catalogue of 1814, including some valuable accessions, amidst many of inferior importance. A very undue preference seems to be given to the purchase of modern books: the library thus becomes very deficient in our ancient and venerable authors.

It has been suggested as one of the means by which the advantages to be derived from this institution could be extended, that annual subscribers be admitted.. It is much to be lamented by those whose "whole estates lie under their hat," that this has never been acted upon; but the recommendation to augment in such case the

annual subscription of these non-proprietors to two guineas may fairly be objected to. The subscribingproprietors, who pay one guinea and an half, are sharers in property which is enhancing in value yearly by the constant accession of fresh books. To those therefore, who, under more liberal auspices, may be permitted to share in the perusal but not in the property of the books, one guinea would surely form an equitable charge. Even the adoption of this rule offers only a partial improvement in our literary history; and we may still hope to enjoy, like Manchester, the liberal bequest and endowment of a second CHEETHAM.

BIBLIOPHILE.

CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE REV. WILLIAM COLE AND DR. LORT, RELATIVE TO BRISTOL.

THE following memorandum, by the Rev. William Cole, of a conversation between himself and the Rev. Dr. Lort, relating to Bristol, was printed in the Gentleman's Magazine for August 1806, and has been since inserted in Nichols's Literary Anecdotes, vol. ix. p. 749. We give it in the Bristol Memorialist, in the hope that some person is still living, who may be able to disprove the accusation of the then Bishop of Norwich respecting Canynge's Monument, and thereby prevent this additional stigma from being fixed on our city.

"Mr. Lort, of Trinity College, drinking coffee with ine at Milton, September 18, 1771, told me that he had been at Bristol, where they had some few years ago made a dis

covery, &c. &c. [Rowley's Poem]. At the same time Mr. L. told me, that they had been pulling down the old venerable gates of the City, and erecting modern ones. The Magistrates shewed long before their ill-taste, by removing a most elegant and most ornamental Gothic cross out of their City, where, perhaps, it might have been incommodious in a narrow street. This was afterwards conveniently enough placed in the College-green or Square, before the Cathedral, where I saw it with pleasure 1746, being then no small ornament to the place. But I am informed it was once again sent packing, but to what place removed I know not. The Clergy in this case shewed their want of taste infinitely more than the Aldermen, as here it was no obstruction, but rather a beauty. Similar to this was what Mr. Lort mentioned, at the same time that calling on the Bishop of Norwich, and talking with his Lordship on the great qualifications of Mr. Cannings, his merits to the town of Bristol, and the kingdom in general; the Bishop made answer, that if he had not prevented it, the inhabitants of that grateful parish had thrown out the monument of its so worthy benefactor. Bristol may be a good trading City, and skilled in those arts that will at last end in the destruction of this and every other great trading and luxurious nation: but the Virtues of Gratitude, Decency, and Generosity, I think their Historian will be at a loss to find out in it. Dr. Bentham, Canon of Christ Church, calling on me next day and reading this account, told me that the Cross was removed to Mr. Hoare's Garden."

W.

IN

SIR,

HENRY BIRKHEAD.

To the Editor of The Bristol Memorialist.

your last number enquiry is made, whether any biographical or literary notice exist of Mr. Burkhead, beside that contained in Langbaine's Account of the English Dramatick Poets. The particulars mentioned by Langbaine, have been reprinted in the Biographia Dramatica, and in most other catalogues of Dramatic Authors, but without any additional information. The following notices respecting him may probably be interesting to your readers. On the trial of Archbishop Laud, one of the charges brought against him was that he had endeavoured to introduce Popery. In answer to this accusation, he mentioned the names of several persons whom he had settled in the Protestant faith. "And first, Hen. Birk-head of Trinity Coll. in Oxford, was seduced by a Jesuit, and brought up to London to be conveyed beyond the seas. His friends complained to me: I had the happiness to find him out, and the blessing from God to settle his conscience. So he returned to Oxford, and there continued."-Wharton's History of the Troubles and Tryal of Archbishop Laud. This circumstance is more particularly stated by Anthony Wood, in describing the benefits which Laud had conferred on Oxford. "His great care also against the residing of Roman Priests and Jesuits in the University, and in gaining those that were taken thence by them, particularly one Henry Birkhead, or Birchead, of Trinity College, who, as 'twas said, was seduced by a Jesuit, and in June 1635, was carried to St. Omers by one who called himself by the name of Kemp, one of the Society