Return'd alas! too late repentant, found His aged parents in the narrow graveHis disobedience blighted all around; His love distracted, and himself a slave ! What wonder, then, that he who bore A feeling heart-was stricken to the core? What wonder, that his wretched soul Sought comfort from the life-destroying bowl? That he who once, was foremost in the rank, His hopes all fled, his spirits sank, This was his crime-for this a soldier brave, Was pinion'd, stripp'd, and whipp'd into a slave! M. Written on a blank leaf of Chalmers's Life of Mary Queen of Scots. MUCH injured Queen! the hand of TIME His brooding form of darkness wear, What, though whole ages have gone by Since first Hate strove upon thy name To breathe the blackest blight of shame, Through many a year with tearful eye Did HISTORY mark the wrongs thy fame Had suffered from her sons, till growing Indignant that the cloud of blame, Should mar the beams of brightness glowing Around sweet Pity's thoughts of thee; She bade Truth's firmest champion wield Nature! in presence of thy mystic shrine, With holy awe is seen the moundImmortal is the bold design; Verdure perennial decks the ground. High o'er the landscape swells the conic form, The lightning's blaze derides, and winter's howling storm. Repose is here, eternal as the world, Nor earthquake's heaves, nor e'en o'erpow'ring time, The antient labour from its base has hurl'd, In the slow march of years still seen sublime. While undistinguish'd, ages round it lye, STEPHENSIANA. No. III. The late ALEXANDER STEPHENS, Esq. of Park House, Chelsea, devoted an active and well-spent life in the collection of Anecdotes of his contemporaries, and generally entered in a book the collecting of the passing day;-these collections we have purchased, and propose to present a selection from them to our readers. As Editor of the Annual Obituary, and many other biographical works, he may probably have incorporated many of these scraps; but the greater part are unpublished, and all stand alone as cabi- · net pictures of men and manners, worthy of a place in a literary miscellany. LETTER of LADY DRYDEN, giving I some Account of the POET. RECEIVED the favour of your letter, and am happy your sentiments meet mine so entirely upon the subject of our correspondence, and have no doubt of mucli approving the productions of your pen I am glad you are so far engaged in literary pursuits: they are entertaining, rational, and beneficial to the public. "It will give me great pleasure to be able to give any hints which may clear up the imperfect knowledge the learned have of the parentage of Mr. J. Dryden, my great great uncle. That I can easily do, he being the elder brother of my great grandfather; but we have not, unfortunately, any letters or writings of his here, he not being (as is too often the case) upon good terms with the then head of the family Sir Robert Dryden, but had attached himself to the second brother Mr. Dryden, of Chesterton in Huntingdonshire, with whom Sir Robert was at variance. This I imagine prevented Mr. J. D. from coming much here, though he inherited from his father a small estate at Blakesley, a village three miles from hence, which we now possess by heirship; it brings in at present, a net rent of £182 12s. per annum. The grandfather of the present tenant was tenant to the poet, who he said was always an excellent landlord, and never raised him a shilling in his life, and made heavy complaints against my late uncle (of whom he also rented several years) for increasing his rent. I believe most of the circumstances related of him are nearly true. Whether his extraordi nary judgment in phisiognomy has been mentioned I do not recollect. His sister married a Mr. Shaw who had a place under government, and was guardian to my late uncle-her picture is now here. She and her brother John were on terms of friendship and often met. His wonderful knowledge of the effect of the passions of the mind upon the muscles of the face, used sometimes to give her great uneasiness. She was a very nervous woman, and he being of a lively turn, used jestingly to take pleasure in alarming her. "The Dryden family is supposed (by themselves) to come originally from Scotland; it was settled here (Čanon's Ashby) before the depopulation of the monasteries by Henry VIII. and inhabited this old mansion, which was not the monastic house, that being purchased many years afterwards by the family, and pulled down in my late uncle's memory. The first of the family we know any thing of was a Mr. Erasmus Dryden, so named from the learned Erasmus with whom he had some connection. He was made a baronet by James I. He had several sons. His eldest son and successor was Sir John Dryden, who took an active part in the civil wars in the time of Charles I. and sat in the Long Parliament. The second son of Erasmus went into trade in the city; the third son settled at Tichmarsh in this county and had two sons, Mr. J. Dryden the person in question, and Mr. Erasmus Dryden, afterwards Sir Erasmus, my great grandfather. Sir John D. the member in the Long Parliament, left two sons, Sir Robert and Mr. Dryden of Chesterton, to to which latter, as I said before, the poet attached himself. Mr. D. of Chesterton and the poet both died before Sir Robert. Sir Robert and his brother both died unmarried. Sir Robert having the estate in his own power left it away from the title, to his second cousin, Mr. Edward Dryden, (my grandfather) son of Mr. Erasmus Dryden, the poet's younger brother, and passed by all the elder branches. The title went of course to the son of old Sir Erasmus's second son, a person in trade in the city; he held it only three months. and died in this neighbourhood leaving no children. The title then went to the poet's third son, Erasmus Henry, (the two elder being dead, Charles drowned near Windsor, aud John, a cup-bearer to the Pope, dying at Rome.) Sir Erasmus Henry, the poet's third son, held the title only two months, and died and was interred here, as appears by the register. The elder branches of the family being all extinct, the title came to the poet's younger brother, the last Sir Erasmus, my great grandfather; his eldest and only son Edward holding the estate under Sir Robert's will, the estate and title were again united in my late uncle, who was Mr. Edward Dryden, my grandfather's eldest son. It was the custom in those days when specie was scarce, to portion off the youngest branches of a family with small parcels of land, which was the reason of the poet's haying the farm we now possess of his, old Sir Erasmus's leaving farms to each of his younger sons, which are all now added to the family estate. The poet was supposed to be a catholic; his second son was cup-bearer to the pope; it is a rule that those who have that honour, must have had their families gentlemen for a certain number of years: the poet therefore drew up his genealogy with his own hands, and it is now at Rome, and the only authentic one to be met with of the Dryden family." "ELIZABETH DRYDEN." The late Mr. H. S. WOODFALL. I was pleased to find him a man of abilities and merit, occasionally relating with pleasantry, the persecutions with which he had been assailed, for the part he had taken in publishing the letters of Junius. Too much cannot be said in praise of those well written letters, as containing the politics of the times, and affording valuable materials not only for the historian, but the man of taste, and the philosopher. MONTHLY MAG. No. 361. 66 Mr. W. told me, March 10th, 1801, that he knew Dr. Wolcott well, having often met him behind the scenes. was brought up in some measure behind the scenes," said he to me, 66 as my father was printer to Covent Garden house, and I used to be always there, and indeed at both of the theatres." Mr. Wood was then the treasurer. The actors were not so well paid then as now, and they used to say to one another, on a Saturday night, when the piece was concluded, "Have you seen the treasury?" "Yes, but there is no coal there," "I will burn wood then." The following Card was left at the QUEEN'S HOUSE, during the KING'S illness, in March, 1801. "Captain Blake, of the Grenadiers, (George 1st.) was in the regiment of Colonel Murray, at the battle of Preston Pans, in the year 1745. He was left among the dead in the field of action, with no less than eleven wounds, one so capital as to carry away three inches of his skull. Has been preserved 56 years to relate the event, and enabled by gracious protection, to make his personal enquiry after his Majesty.” LOBSTERS. These unfortunate and ill-used creatures, are caught in baskets on the coast of Scotland and even of Norway, and being carried into the Thames, are placed in large boxes, called lobster chests, with different widths between the joints, to allow the water to flow freely These are through and through, &c. sunk at a place on the Essex coast, about ten miles below Gravesend, where the water is salt. Thence they are draughted as occasion requires, and brought to Billingsgate, to supply the London market. Lord GRENVILLE'S LETTER, relative to the TREATY of PILNITZ. April 25, 1802. Lord Grenville has received Mr. Stephens's letter. Not having the honour of his acquaintance, Lord G. does not think himself at liberty to enter into any correspondence with him respecting the political transactions of Europe, during the time in which Lord G. filled an official situation. It would indeed in the present instance be not only improper, but perfectly superfluous, because the slightest attention to facts and documents long since made public, must shew that the story of a compact of partition at Pavia, Pilnitz, orMantua, is a gross and very clumsy fabrication. FIFTEEN Celebrated MEN and WOMEN whom I have personally known. 1. James, Earl of Fife. 2. Rev. Dr. Geddes, L.L.D. Translator of the Bible. 3. Sir James Mackintosh, Recorder of Bombay. 4. George Anderson, writer on coins. 5. John Horne Tooke, esq. 8. Sir Philip Francis, K.B. 11. Rt. Hon. John Philpot Curran. 12. John Nicholl, Ex-M.P. for Tregony. 13. Earl of Buchan. MR. MORTIMER Told me one day, after dinner, at Mr. Brand Hollis's, that he had been removed from his office of consul, at Ostend, in consequence of some civilities which he had paid to Mr. and Miss Wilkes, while wind bound at that port. The WITTINAGEMOT of the CHAPTER. From 1797 to 1805, I was accustomed to use the Chapter Coffee-house, where I always met with intelligent company, and enjoyed an interesting conversation. The box in the NË. corner used to be called the Wittinagemot. Early in the morning it was occupied by neighbours, who were designated the Wet Paper Club, as it was their practice to open the papers as brought in by the newsmen, and read them before they were dried by the waiter. A dry paper they viewed as a stale commodity. In the afternoon another party enjoyed the wet evening papers, and it was these whom I met. Dr. BUCHAN, author of the Domestic Medicine, generally held a seat in this box, and though he was a tory, he heard the freest discussions with good hu mour, and commonly acted as a moderator. His fine physiognomy and his white hairs qualified him for this office. But the fixture in the box was a Mr. HAMMOND, a Coventry manufacturer, who, evening after evening, for nearly 45 years, was always to be found in his place, and during the entire period was much distinguished for his severe and often able strictures on the events of the day. He had thus debated through the days of Wilkes, of the American war, and of the French wars, and being on the side of liberty, was constantly in opposition. His mode of arguing was Socratic, and he generally applied to his adversary the reductio ad ibsurdam, often creating bursts of laughter. The registrar, or chronicle of the box, was a Mr. MURRAY, an episcopal Scotch clergyman, who generally sat in one place from nine in the morning till nine at night, and was famous for having read, at least once through, every morning and evening paper published in London during the last thirty years. His memory being good, he was appealed to whenever any point of fact within the memory of man happened to be disputed. It was often remarked, however, that such incessant daily reading did not tend to clear his views. Among those from whom I constantly profited, was Dr. BERDMORE, Master of the Charter House; WALKER, the rhetorician; and Dr. ToWERS, the political and historical writer. Dr. B. abounded in anecdote; Walker, to the finest enunciation, united the most intelligent head I ever met with; and Towers, over his half-pint of Lisbon, was sarcastic and lively, though never deep. Among our constant visitors was the celebrated Dr. GEORGE FORDYCE, who, having much fashionable practice, brought news which had not generally transpired. He had not the appearance of a man of genius, nor did he debate, but he possessed sound information on all subjects. He came to the Chapter after his wine, and staid about an hour, or while he sipped a glass of brandy and water. It was then his habit to take another glass at the London, and a third at the Oxford, before he went to his house in Essex-street. Dr. GOWER, the urbane and able physician of the Middlesex, was another pretty constant visitor, and added much to our stock of information. It was gratifying to hear such men as Fordyce, Gower, and Buchan, in familiar chat. On subjects of medicine they seldom agreed, and when such were started, they generally laughed at one another's opinions. They seemed to consider Chapter-punch, or brandy and water, as aqua vitæ ; and, to the credit of the house, better punch is not found in London. If any one complained of being indisposed, the elder Buchau exclaimed, "Now, let me prescribe for you 1 you without a fee. Here-John, or Isaac, bring a glass of punch for Mr. unless he like brandy and water better. Take that, Sir, and I'll warrant you'll soon be well-you're a peg too low-you want a little stimulus, and if one glass won't do, call for a second." There was a growling man, of the name of DOBSON, who, when his asthma permitted, vented his spleen upon both sides; and a lover of absurd paradoxes, of the name of HERON, author of some works of merit, but so devoid of principle that, deserted by all, he would have died from want if Dr. Garthshore had not placed him as a patient in the empty Fever Institution. 1 ROBINSON, the King of the Booksellers, was frequently of the party, as well as his brother John, a man of some talent; and JOSEPH JOHNSON, the friend of Priestley, and Paine, and Cowper, and Fuzeli. PHILLIPS, then commencing his Magazine, was also on a keen look out for recruits, with his waistcoat-pocket full of guineas, to slip his enlisting money into their hands.* ALEXANDER CHALMERS, the work man of the Robinsons, and through their introduction editor of many large books, also enlivened the box by many sallies of wit and humour, and in anecdotes, of which he had a plentiful store at command. He always took much pains to be distinguished from *The proprietor of this Miscellany, at the period of its commencement in the winter of 1795-6, lodged and boarded at the Chapter, and not only knew the characters referred to by Mr. S., but many others equally original, from the voracious glutton in politics, who waited for the wet papers in the morning twilight, to the comfortless bachelor, who sat till the fire was raked out at half-past twelve at night, all of whom took their successive stations, like figures in a magic lantern. In regard to the enlisting money to which Mr. S. alludes, it may be proper to state, that so many trumpery periodical works, then, as now, were constantly obtruded on the public, that it was difficult to impress on men of talents, the possibility of establishing a work of permanent character like the Monthly Magazine; and to secure reluctant aid, the Editor sometimes, in a parting shake by the hand, left five guineas in the palm of his desired assistant. So tangible an argument in every case allayed scruples, and tended, among other circumstances, to raise this Miscellany to that pinnacle of celebrity which it has ever since maintained. EDITOR. his name-sake George, who, he used to say, carried "the leaden mace," and was much provoked whenever he happened to be taken for his name-sake. CAHUSAC, a teacher of the classics; M'LEOD, a writer in the papers; the two PARRYS of the Courier, then the · organ of jacobinism; and Capt. SKINNER, a man of elegant manners, who personated our nation in the procession of Anacharis Clootz, at Paris, in 1793, were also in constant attendance. One BAKER, once a Spitalfields manufacturer, a great talker, and not less remarkable as an eater, was constant; but having shot himself at his lodgings in Kirby-street, it was discovered that for some years he had had no other meal per day besides the supper which he took at the Chapter, where there being a choice of viands at the fixed price of one shilling, this, with a pint of porter, constituted his subsistence, till his last resources failing, he put an end to himself. LOWNDES, the celebrated electrician, was another of our set, and a facetious man. BUCHAN, jun. a graduated son of the Doctor, generally came with Lowndes, and though somewhat dogmatical, yet he added to the variety and good intelligence of our discussions, which, from the mixture of company, was as various as the contents of the newspapers. Dr. BUSBY, the musician, and a very ingenious man, often obtained a hearing, and was earnest in disputing with the tories. And MACFARLANE, the author of the History of George the Third, was always admired for the soundness of his views; but this worthy man was killed by the pole of a coach, during a procession of Sir F. Burdett, from Brentford. KELLY, an Irish schoolmaster and gentlemanly man,kept up warm debates by his equivocating politics, and was often roughly handled by Hammond and others, though he bore his defeats with constant good humour. There was a young man of the name of WILSON, who acquired the name of Long-bow Wilson, from the number of extraordinary secrets of the haut ton which he used to retail by the hour. He was a good-tempered, and certainly very amusing person, who seemed likely to be an acquisition among the Wittenagemot, but having run up a score of thirty or forty pounds, he suddenly absented himself. Miss Brun, the keeper of the house, begged of me, if I met with him, to tell him that she would |