'The old reproach that no British altars had been raised to the muse of history was recently disproved by the first performances of Robertson and Hume, the histories of Scotland and of the Stuarts.' —Memoirs of Edward Gibbon, ed. 1827, i. 103.
An instance of Scotch nationality.
(Vol. ii, p. 307.)
Lord Camden, when pressed by Dr. Berkeley (the Bishop's son) to appoint a Scotchman to some office, replied: 'I have many years ago sworn that I never will introduce a Scotchman into any office; for if you introduce one he will contrive some way or other to introduce forty more cousins or friends.' —G. M. Berkeley's Poems, p. ccclxxi.
Mortality in the Foundling Hospital of London.
(Vol. ii, p. 398.)
'From March 25, 1741, to December 31, 1759, the number of children received into the Foundling Hospital is 14,994, of which have died to December 31, 1759, 8,465.'—A Tour through the Whole Island of Great Britain, ed. 1769, vol. ii, p. 121. A great many of these died, no doubt, after they had left the Hospital.
Mr. Planta.
(Vol. ii, p. 399, n. 2.)
The reference is no doubt to Mr. Joseph Planta, Assistant-Librarian of the British Museum 1773, Principal Librarian 1799-1827. See Edwards' Lives of the Founders of the British Museum, pp. 517 sqq.; and Nichols's Illustrations of Literature, vol. vii, pp. 677-8.