"He had also an altar, and placed over it this extraordinary inscription, 'The primitive Eucharist.'" We are told by his friend Welsted (narrative in Oratory Transact. No. 1) that "he had the assurance to form a plan, which no mortal ever thought of; he had success against all opposition; challenged his adversaries to fair disputations, and none would dispute with him: he wrote, read, and studied, twelve hours a day; composed three dissertations a week on all subjects; undertook to teach in one year what schools and universities teach in five: was not terrified by menaces, insults, or satires; but still proceeded, matured his bold scheme, and put the church and all that in danger!" See note to Dunciad, book iii., v. 199. Pope has described this extraordinary character with singular felicity of expression:
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But, where each science lifts its modern type, Hist'ry her Pot, Divinity her Pipe, While proud philosophy repines to shew, Dishonest sight! his breeches rent below; Imbrown'd with native bronze, lo! Henley stands, Tuning his voice and balancing his hands. How fluent nonsense trickles from his tongue! How sweet the periods, neither said nor sung! Still break the benches, Henley! with thy strain, While Sherlock, Hare, and Gibson, preach in vain. Oh great restorer of the good old stage, Preacher at once, and zany of thy age, Oh worthy thou, of Egypt's wise abodes, A decent priest, where monkeys were the gods! But fate with butchers plac'd thy priestly stall, Meek modern faith to murder, hack, and mawl; And bade thee live, to crown Britannia's praise, In Toland's, Tindal's, and in Woolston's days. Dunciad, b. iii., v. 190, &c. |
Bromley, in his catalogue of engraved Portraits, mentions four of orator Henley: two of which are inscribed, one by Worlidge "The Orator of Newport Market;" another (without engraver's name) "A Rationalist." There is a floating story which I have heard of Henley. He gave out that he would shew a new and expeditious method of converting a pair of boots into shoes. A great concourse of people attended, expecting to see something very marvellous; when Henley mounted his "tub," and, holding up a boot, he took a knife, and cut away the leg part of the leather!
There are, I had almost said, innumerable contemporaneous bibliomaniacal characters to be described—or rather, lesser stars or satellites that move, in their now unperceived orbits, around the great planets of the book world—but, at this protracted hour of discussion, I will not pretend even to mention their names.
Lis. Yet, go on—unless the female part of the audience be weary—go on describing, by means of your great telescopic powers, every little white star that is sprinkled in this bibliomaniacal Via Lactea![385]
[385] With great submission to the "reminescential" talents of Lysander, he might have devoted one minute to the commendation of the very curious library of John Hutton, which was disposed of, by auction, in the same year (1764) in which Genl. Dormer's was sold. Hutton's library consisted almost entirely of English Literature: the rarest books in which are printed in the italic type. When the reader is informed that "Robinsons Life, Actes, and Death of Prince Arthur," and his "ancient order, societie, and unitie, laudable of the same," 1583, 4to. (see no. 2730; concerning which my worthy friend, Mr. Haslewood, has discoursed so accurately and copiously: British Bibliographer, vol. i., pp. 109; 125), when he is informed that this produced only 9s. 6d.—that "Hypnerotomachia," 1592, 4to. (no. 2755), was sold for only 2s.—the Myrrour of Knighthood, 1585, 4to. (no. 2759), only 5s.—Palmerin of England, 3 pts. in 3 vols. 1602, 1639, 4to. (no. 2767), 14s.—Painter's Palace of Pleasure, 2 vols. in 1, 1566-7, 4to. (no. 2770)—when, I say, the tender-hearted bibliomaniac thinks that all these rare and precious black letter gems were sold, collectively, for only 2l. 16s. 6d.!—what must be his reproaches upon the lack of spirit which was evinced at this sale! Especially must his heart melt within him, upon looking at the produce of some of these articles at the sale of George Steevens' books, only 36 years afterwards! No depreciation of money can account for this woful difference. I possess a wretchedly priced copy of the Bibl. Huttoniana, which I purchased, without title-page or a decent cover, at the sale of Mr. Gough's books, for 11s. Lysander ought also to have noticed in its chronological order, the extensive and truly valuable library of Robert Hoblyn; the catalogue of which was published in the year 1769, 8vo., in two parts: pp. 650. I know not who was the author of the arrangement of this collection; but I am pretty confident that the judicious observer will find it greatly superior to every thing of its kind, with hardly even the exception of the Bibliotheca Croftsiana. It is accurately and handsomely executed, and wants only an index to make it truly valuable. The collection, moreover, is a very sensible one. My copy is upon large paper; which is rather common.
Alman. Upon my word, Lisardo, there is no subject however barren, but what may be made fruitful by your metaphorical powers of imagination.
Lis. Madam, I entreat you not to be excursive. Lysander has taken a fresh sip of his nectar, and has given a hem or two—preparing to resume his narrative.
Lysand. We have just passed over the bar that separates the one half of the 18th century from the other: and among the ensuing eminent collectors, whose brave fronts strike us with respect, is General Dormer:[386] a soldier who, I warrant you, had faced full many a cannon, and stormed many a rampart, with courage and success. But he could not resist the raging influence of the Book-Mania: nor could all his embrasures and entrenchments screen him from the attacks of this insanity. His collection was both select and valuable.
[386] "A Catalogue of the genuine and elegant Library of the late Sir C.C. Dormer, collected by Lieutenant General James Dormer; which will be sold, &c., by Samuel Baker, at his house in York-Street, Covent Garden; to begin on Monday, February the 20th, 1764, and to continue the nineteen following evenings." At the end of the catalogue we are told that the books were "in general of the best editions, and in the finest condition, many of them in large paper, bound in morocco, gilt leaves," &c. This was a very choice collection of books; consisting almost entirely of French, Greek, Latin, Italian, and Spanish. The number of articles did not exceed 3082; and of volumes, probably not 7000. The catalogue is neatly printed, and copies of it on large paper are exceedingly scarce. Among the most curious and valuable articles are the following:——no. 599. Les Glorieuses Conquestes de Louis le Grand, par Pontault, en maroquin. Paris, 1678. ("N.B. In this copy many very fine and rare portraits are added, engraved by the most eminent masters.")——no. 604. Recueil des Maisons Royales, fort bien gravés par Sylvestre, &c. (N.B. In the book was the following note. "Ce recueil des Maisons Royales n'est pas seulement complet, en toutes manières, mais on y a ajouté plusieurs plans, que l'on ne trouvent que très rarement.")——no. 731. Fabian's Chronicle, 1559.——752, Hall's ditto. 1548.——751. Higden's Polychronicon. 1527. (I suspect that Dr. Askew purchased the large paper Hutchinson's Xenophon, and Hudson's Thucydides. nos. 2246, 2585.)——no. 2249. Don Quixote, por Cervantes. Madr., 4to., 1605. In hoc libro hæc nota est. "Cecy est l'edition originale; il y a une autre du mesme année, imprimée en quarto à Madrid, mais imprimée apres cecy. J'ay veu l'autre, et je les ay comparez avec deux autres editions du mesme année, 1605; une imprimée à Lisbonne, en 4to., l'autre en Valentia, en 8vo."——no. 2590. Thuanus by Buckley, on large paper, in 14 volumes, folio; a magnificent copy, illustrated with many beautiful and rare portraits of eminent characters, mentioned by De Thou. (N.B. This very copy was recently sold for 74l.)——From no. 2680 to the end of the Catalogue (401 articles) there appears a choice collection of Italian and Spanish books.