BODENHAM, OR LING'S POLITEUPHUIA.
Sir,—The following is an extract from a Catalogue of Books for sale, issued by Mr. Asher, of Berlin, in 1844:—
"Bodenham? (Ling?), Politeuphuia. Wits commonwealth, original wrapper, vellum. VERY RARE.
"80 fr. 8vo. London, for Nicholas Ling, 1597.
"This book, 'being a methodical collection of the most choice and select admonitions and sentences, compendiously drawn from infinite varietie,' is quoted by Lowndes under Bodenham, as first printed in 1598; the Epistle dedicatory however of the present copy is signed: 'N. Ling', and addressed 'to his very good friend Maister I.B.,' so that Ling appears to have been the author, and this an edition unknown to Lowndes or any other bibliographer."
This seems to settle one point, perhaps a not very important one, in our literary history; and as such may deserve a place among your "NOTES."
BOOKWORM.
COLLEY CIBBER'S APOLOGY.
Mr. Editor,—No doubt most of your readers are well acquainted with Colley Cibber's Apology for his Life, &c., first printed, I believe, in 1740, 4to, with a portrait of himself, painted by Vanloo, and engraved by Vandergucht. Chapters IV. and V. contain the celebrated characters he drew of the principal performers, male and female, in, and just before, his time, viz. Betterton, Montfort, Kynaston, &c. Upon these characters I have two questions to put, which I hope some of your contributors may be able to answer. The first is, "Were these characters of actors reprinted in the same words, and without additions, in the subsequent impressions of Cibber's Apology in 8vo?" Secondly, "Had they ever appeared in any shape before they were inserted in the copy of Cibber's Apology now before me, in 1740, 4to?" To this may be added, if convenient, some account of the work in which these fine criticisms originally appeared, supposing they did not first come out in the Apology. I am especially interested in the history of the Stage about the period when the publication of these characters formed an epoch.
I am, Mr. Editor, yours,