[19] Soon after the fourth Duke of Devonshire came of age, 1769, finding that he had many friends of his own to oblige, it was suggested to the Senior Chaplains that a resignation would be deemed a compliment by his Grace. Mr. Pegge, therefore (among some others), relinquished his Chaplainship, though he continued to wear the scarf.
[20] It is rather a singular coincidence, that Mr. Pegge should have been at the same time Rector of Whittington in Derbyshire and Prebendary of Whittington in Staffordshire, both in one Diocese, under different patronages, and totally independent of each other. These two Whittingtons are likewise nearly equidistant from places of the name of Chesterfield.
[21] The Prebend of Louth carries with it the Patronage of the Vicarage of the Parish of Louth, to which Mr. Pegge presented more than once. On the first vacancy, having no Clerk of his own, he offered the nomination to his Benefactor Bishop Green; at the last, he gave the living, uninfluenced, to the present Incumbent, the Rev. Wolley Jolland, son of the Recorder of Louth.
[22] It was said at the time, as we recollect, that this piece of preferment was so peculiar in its tenure, as not to be strictly optionable; for, had the See of Lichfield been possessed by a Bishop inimical to the Archbishop or to Mr. Pegge at the time of the vacancy of the Stall, such Bishop might have defeated his Grace's intentions. The qualifications of the Residentiaries in this Cathedral we understand to be singular, dependent on the possession of certain Prebendal Houses, which are in the absolute disposal of the Bishop, as a sine quâ non, to constitute the eligibility which is vested in the Dean and Chapter. As matters stood, in this case, at the death of Mr. Seward, the present Bishop of Lichfield (Dr. James Cornwallis), Mr. Pegge's warm Friend, co-operating with the Dowager Mrs. Cornwallis, removed every obstruction.
[23] The very just character of Mr. Knight given in the Gentleman's Magazine, vol. LI. p. 147, was drawn by Mr. Pegge, who had been intimate with him very nearly half a century.
[24] This Print has the following inscription:
"Samuel Pegge, A.M. S.A.S.
A.D. MDCCLXXXV. Æt. 81.
Impensis, et ex Voto, Gustavi Brander, Arm.
Sibi et Amicis."
We cannot in any degree subscribe to the resemblance, though, the print is well engraved. There is, however, a three-quarters portrait in oil (in the possession of his grandson, Sir Christopher Pegge, and much valued by him) painted in 1788, by Mr. Elias Needham, a young Provincial Artist, and a native of Derbyshire, which does the Painter great credit, being a likeness uncommonly striking. Dr. Pegge being an old gentleman well known, with a countenance of much character, the Portrait was taken at the request of Mr. Needham; who, after exhibiting it to his Patrons and Friends, made a present of it to Mr. Pegge. Those who knew Dr. Pegge, and have had an opportunity of comparing the Portrait with the Print, will agree with us, that no two pictures of the same person, taken nearly at the same point of life, and so unlike each other, can both be true resemblances.—A faithful Engraving from Mr. Needham's Portrait is prefixed to the present Volume.
[25] He specified, in writing, about fourscore of these volumes, which were chiefly what may be called Library-books; the rest were added by his Son.