[1] See Campbell’s “Lives,” etc., vol. iv. p. 247.
[2] Sir Cloudesley Shovel sat for several years as member of Parliament for the city of Rochester. In the Guildhall of that city there is an interesting portrait, representing the gallant sailor as Rear-Admiral. A tablet states that the hall was painted and decorated by his desire and at his expense, 1695-6. The portrait from which our engraving is taken is by Michael Dahl, and was originally at Hampton Court. It was presented by George IV. in 1824 to Greenwich Hospital. Sir C. Shovel at the time of his death was one of the governors of Greenwich Hospital.
[3] “Bibliomaniacs” will be interested to learn the price of certain books at this date, 1775. Lackington says: “Martyn’s ‘Dictionary of Natural History’ sold for £15 15s., which then stood in my catalogue at £4 15s.; Pilkington’s ‘Dictionary of Painters,’ £7 7s., usually sold at three; Francis’s ‘Horace,’ £2 11s. At Sir George Colebrook’s sale the 8vo edition of the ‘Tatler’ sold for two guineas and a half. At a sale a few weeks since, Rapin’s History in folio, the two first vols. only, sold for upward of £5.”
[4] “History of Booksellers,” by H. Curwen, p. 73. Chatto & Windus.
[5] Articles of Peace with the United States were signed Nov. 30th, 1782; and the Peace of Versailles, between France, Spain, and England, was made Jan. 20th, 1783. It is to this, no doubt, that Lackington refers.
[6] “History of Booksellers,” see above, p. 74.
[7] “The shoemaker happily abandoned his last.” It may be interesting to note that the writer’s copy of this curious book once belonged to Henry Thomas Buckle, author of “The History of Civilization.” On the fly-leaf are memoranda of Wesleyan and Jonsonian anecdotes which Buckle had evidently made for his own use.
[8] Mrs. Bradburn was the daughter of Samuel Jones, of Wrexham.
[9] This incident will remind readers of the following account given by Bunyan of a similar incident in his early life: “One day, as I was standing at my neighbor’s shop-window, and there cursing and swearing, after my wonted manner, there sate within the woman of the house and heard me, who, though she was a loose and ungodly wretch, protested that I cursed and swore at such a rate that she trembled to hear me.... At this reproof I was silenced and put to secret shame, and that too, as I thought, before the God of heaven.”
[10] 2 Cor. 5:17.