NATURALISTS’ CALENDAR.
Mean Temperature 61·92.
[299] Communicated by C. T.
August 21.
Merlin’s Cave, and Stephen Duck.
We are told on the thirtieth of June, 1735, that her majesty (the queen of George II.) ordered “Mr. Rysbrack to make the bustos in marble of all the kings of England from William the Conqueror, in order to be placed in her new building in the gardens at Richmond.”
On the twenty-first of August, in the same year, we learn that the figures her majesty had ordered for Merlin’s cave were placed therein, viz. 1.—Merlin at a table with conjuring books and mathematical instruments, taken from the face of Mr. Ernest, page to the prince of Wales; 2.—King Henry VIIth’s queen, and 3.—Queen Elizabeth, who come to Merlin for knowledge, the former from the face of Mrs. Margaret Purcell, and the latter from Miss Paget’s; 4.—Minerva from Mrs. Poyntz’s; 5.—Merlin’s secretary, from Mr. Kemp’s, one of his royal highness the duke’s grenadiers; and 6.—a witch, from a tradesman’s wife at Richmond. Her majesty ordered also a choice collection of English books to be placed therein; and appointed Mr. Stephen Duck to be cave and library keeper, and his wife to an office of trust and employment.[300]