As the STATIONER, or the poor malice of the writer under this name, has made a charge, I trust, Sir, in your equity, that you will insert this explanation in your next number; and I also trust to read in your most interesting and useful publication, for the future, more that concerns the curious world than that a family substituted on a monument a y for an i, and withheld altogether the naming of an honour which might have appeared there.
GORDON GYLL.
7, Lower Seymour Street, Portman Square."
(b) "As you have not published the letter I sent to your office in answer to that of A STATIONER, and also to an LL.D., who, instead of quietly confining himself to an opinion on a point of law, rushed into personalities quite unjustified by circumstances, for no letter was addressed to him unless he be the STATIONER in disguise, who, in his arrogance dared to say that I was ignorant of the first principles of composition—I wish to know whether the LL.D. or STATIONER mean to assert that by our improving certain monuments in Wraysbury Church (which we, as a family acting in unison, were entitled to do without the interference of anyone) we have falsified them.
If that be intended, we consider the allegation false and injurious, and unless we have an unequivocal denial, we shall refer the case to our legal adviser. The entire object of the STATIONER was to insult our family, and to impute motives, which was enough to incite to resentment.
If he had politely said that we had caused one letter to be substituted for another, which did not change the sound of the name, and had put in a Christian name where the title of a civic honour was inscribed, whereby the party was more clearly identified—for Mr. Alderman A. may be anybody—it had been well and harmless, and no such letter, which he terms acrimonious, had been written.
You gave, in a note to my letter, an opinion that the question was not touched. Now, Sir, I wish to ask you or the LL.D. if any LAW is violated, and if a family has a right to inscribe on a monument that A. or B. were Deputy-Lieut., Magistrates, M.P., or High Sheriffs? and if so, if a party is termed Alderman where his proper description would be Lord Mayor, the family may not legally and judiciously alter it?
We stand impeached with breaking a law, and by implication with, falsifying a lapidary inscription. We wish to know if these imputations are meant either by LL.D. or the STATIONER, for if they are, let the case be tried before proper tribunal, or else let us have a denial. If I do not hear from you I shall send the family lawyer to meet the charge.
GORDON GYLL.
7, Lower Seymour Street, Portman Square."