"The same query that you have made has been put to me from various quarters; and I have communicated most of them to the owner of the MSS., but he invariably declines allowing me to give his name, or other proofs of the facts in the Narrative, saying, that 'since the public has done him the honour of putting his old heir-loom into mystery, even in the face of the editor's simply told Preface, he will not deprive himself of the amusement such unexpected doubts afford him.'
"Thus far his whimsical decision; nevertheless, as editor of the work, I cannot deny myself adding the sincere satisfaction I feel in the sympathy so universally expressed with the virtues of the truly amiable Seaward and his family; and the more so, as his lessons of piety and domestic concord in the most trying situations may well be considered his richest bequeathment.
"I have the honour to subscribe myself, Madam,
"Very much yours,
"JANE PORTER."
This corroborates the account given by W. W. E. J., and may be thought worthy of a place in "N. & Q."
W. H. LAMMIN.
Fulham.
If we may credit the inscription on the monument erected to the memory of the Porter family in Bristol Cathedral, the real author of Sir E. Seaward's Narrative was none other than Miss Porter's own brother, Dr. Wm. Ogilvie Porter, who within three months followed his sister to the grave, being the last survivor of that talented and distinguished family. Dr. Porter commenced his medical career as a surgeon in the navy, and was probably acquainted with the Caribbean Sea and its islands; for his first wife, who died in 1807, and was buried at St. Oswald, in the city of Durham, was a native of Jamaica. Whether he avowed himself the writer, when he entrusted the work to his sister for publication, seems doubtful. It is possible she may have been led to regard it as a genuine account of real transactions, whereas it is said to be an entirely fictitious and imaginary story, written solely for amusement.
May I take this opportunity of asking for information respecting the origin of the Porter family? Their father, who was a surgeon in the army, and died in early life, is said to have been of Irish extraction. Their mother was a Miss Blenkinsop, of the city of Durham. Any information respecting the families of Porter and Blenkinsop would be interesting. What is the name of the Russian nobleman or gentleman to whom the daughter of Sir R. K. Porter is married? If she is still alive, she is the sole representative of the Porters, it is believed.