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can certainly take upon me to say that the Athenian effects were thus far he for the space of several weeks with person to preter that charge formany, "neglected," insomuch as the cases or chests containing them were suffered to NEW MONTHLY MAG.-No. 16.

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3 per Cent. Reduced, 4 per Cent Consols, and Long Annuities, as above, with the divi N. B. The above Table contains the highest and lowest prices, taken from the Course of the Exchange, &c. originally publis All Exchequer Bills dated prior to the menth of March, 1814, have been advertised to be paid off, and published, every Tuesday and Friday, under the authority of the Committee of the Stock Exchange, by

JAMES WETENHALL, Stock-Broker, No. 7, Capel c On application to whom, the original de

51.8

(296)

METEOROLOGICAL REGISTER.
From February 23, to March 25, 1815.

Kept by C. BLUNT, Philosophical Instrument-maker, 38, Tavistock-st. Covent-Garden.

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THE

NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE.

No. 16.]

MAY 1, 1815.

[VOL. III.

MONTHLY MAGAZINES have opened a way for every kind of inquiry and information. The intelligence and discussion contained in them are very extensive and various; and they have been the means of diffusing a general habit of reading through the nation, which in a certain degree hath enlarged the public understanding. HERE, too, are preserved a multitude of useful hints, observations, and facts, which otherwise might have never appeared.---Dr. Kippis.

Every Art is improved by the emulation of Competitors.--Dr. Johnson.

MR. EDITOR,

ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS.

AS a reader of your magazine, (the conduct and principles of which reflect much credit on its literary manager,) I have of course observed all that has hitherto appeared on the subject of the Tweddell MSS.; and I may say, indeed, that I have read the observations of your different correspondents with all the interest which such an extraordinary question as they involve is calculated to inspire. I certainly am not without the means of stating some pertinent facts illustrative of that discussion, and at some future time I may possibly, with your leave, give expression in some degree to what has come within my own knowledge: at present I have no farther object than to address a few remarks to a gentleman who styles himself Vinder, (in your number for February, p. 24,) and whose apparent ingenuousness, and want of more complete intelligence, have tempted me to make an endeavour to enlighten his mind on certain points on which he seems evidently uninformed.

"Were it possible," he remarks, "for a moment to suppose that Mr. T.'s effects were treated in the manner there insinuated-that some of his drawings were in the hands of Englishmen at Leghorn that copies of them were taken and are now in this country-or, what is least of all to be imagined, that the property was irregularly taken out of the Levant Company's chancery. . . . . . no terms of reprobation could be too severe," &c.

To touch briefly on each of the above points. As to the manner in which Mr. T.'s effects were treated, or, as your correspondent is pleased elsewhere to express it, as to "the charge of neglect or misappropriation," though I am not the person to prefer that charge formally, I can certainly take upon me to say that the Athenian effects were thus far neglected," insomuch as the cases or chests containing them were suffered to le for the space of several weeks with NEW MONTHLY MAG.-No. 16.

out any measures being taken to have them opened, and the contents exposed to the air; and as it was well known that they had been drenched in the sea, (Propontis,) and contained drawings and MSS. of great value, I leave it to any impartial and sensible person to decide whether this was not "neglect," or rather, whether it was not a gross and scandalous omission. And in regard to "misappropriation," thus much at least is certain, that the packages were not suffered to be delivered, in the first instance, to Mr. J. S. S. to whom they were regularly consigned; nor have they to this day been "appropriated" to the use and behoof of the only persons who have the right to possess them-the family or nearest representatives of the deceased. There is, therefore, a two-fold "misappropriation" in the case.

Equally true I can assert it to be, that "some of Mr. T.'s drawings were in English hands, perhaps at Leghorn," but assuredly at Naples; and that copies of them were taken at that place, and are now in this country. I have seen those copies myself!

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Concerning that, in the next place, which Vinder thinks" is least of all to be imagined," I mean the "irregular" removal of the property from the L. C.'s chancery, I must request him for the present to give me credit for the veracity of a gentleman in affirming, as I do in confident terms, that the effects of Mr. J. T. (such of them I mean more especially as came from Athens) were in the most irregular" manner withdrawn from the public chancery, or registeroffice, of the L. C. by the A*********, not only without a written voucher by the Chancellor, which is the only correct, regular, (and if I mistake not) legal course of proceeding, but what is more, without the person then acting as locumtenens in that capacity, Mr. I.C. (during a temporary absence of the principal, Mr. B. P.) being consulted or formally

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298

On the Tweddell Manuscripts.

apprised in any way of the measure; and of course without any inventory or specification of particulars having been delivered to that officer for registryany reason assigned for the removalany signification of the purpose for which, it was made, or of the place to which it was made and consequently, on the whole, with a wanton neglect or supercilious disregard of every form and custom established by the company's charter, as well as of the respect which was due to their first representative officer M. F.S.S. and to the royal immunities and rights of that right worshipful body.

The umbrage which your correspondent seems to take at an intimation thrown out by a former writer as to the Earl of E, having" the means of bringing to light the literary treasures of Mr. T." -I am not called upon to remove, as the sentiment is not mine, though by no means an unnatural one neither am I now pretending to meddle with any thing but matters of fact: but when Vinder speaks so confidently of the "MSS. and drawings, &c. having been regularly consigned by Lord E. to the friends of the deceased," I must beg leave to interrupt his argument by observing that there is not a single document in existence (or at least that has been yet produced) to substantiate any such consignment; and as to regularity," he will please to understand that that word has no connexion with any one of his lordship's proceedings in that business from first to last; and what is more, from all the information I can collect concerning the conduct of the extraordinary e******, I rather suspect that that term is not to be found in all the official vocabulary of the ci-devant A****** to the Sublime O— P—,

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Equally am I obliged to arrest Vinder in his logical career, where he so glibly asserts that the literary effects of Mr. T. are evidently lost." If the loss is so esident, as he affects to say, it will be easy, for him to explain the cause and nature of such loss, the circumstances attending it, the time when it happened, and the place where it occurred; for myself, who had really imagined that I possessed good information in this matter, I not only profess entire ignorance of any such result he takes for granted, but, until he can produce undeniable proots of this strange and novel hypothesis, I must continue to believe, and to assert, that there is neither fact nor probability-neither reason, circumstance, inference, nor testimony to

as

[May 1,

countenance an idea so gratuitously assumed; and consequently that whatever is become of this valuable property, certes it was not "lost."

I have now only to add, that the conclusion with which Vinder so triumpliantly takes his leave, would certainly be a good one had it in all respects been true: that it is not so I attribute, however, to his want of more perfect information, which it shall be my endeavour to supply. In presuming that "the relatives of Mr. T." have addressed the natural and necessary inquiries to the A*********, the gentleman is so far correct: but that his excellency has "satisfactorily convinced them" either "of his care, his fidelity, or his zeal,” I undertake in express terms to deny; and however strange the assertion may ap pear on paper, it is actually a fact, that they have not made a discovery of those sovereign qualities either in his conduct at C*************, or in his language at home.

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Lastly, as to the "silence" of Mr. T.'s friends, alleged by your correspondent in support of his errors, I argue too well of his understanding to use words to shew that there are cases, very many, in which silence is neither to be interpreted as consent nor approval, nor the person so construing it to be either wise or just; and in farther illustration of this position, I refer him to page 40 of the same number of the New Monthly Magazine, in which his letter appears, where, under the head Literary Intelligence, he will find a publication announced which promises to elucidate the wise man's maxim, that "there is a time to be silent, and a time to speak.” ICHNEUMON.

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1815.]

Roxburgh Library-Origin of the Guillotine.

Romances.

No. 6292. Il Decameroni di Boccacio, fol. M. C. edit. Prim. Venet. Valdarfer, 147 1.

Of the extreme scarcity of this celebrated edition of the Decameron, it will perhaps be sufficient to say, that no other perfect copy is yet known to exist, after all the fruitless researches of more than three hundred years. It was bought by the Marquis of Blandford for 22601., being the largest sum ever given for a single volume. No. 6348. The Boke of the Fayt of Armes and Chyvalrye, fol. blue turkey, gilt leaves, very rare. Caxton. 1479.

Bought by Mr. Nornaville for 3361. No. 6349. The very trew History of the valiant Knight Jason, fol. russia, Andewarpe, by Gerard Leca, 1492. Of this very rare edition no other copy is known. Bought by the Duke of Devonshire

for 941. 10s. No. 6350. The Recuyell of the Histories of Troye, by Roalue le Fevre, translated and printed by William Caxton, fol. B. M. Colens, 1473.This matchless copy of the first book printed in the English language belonged to Elizabeth Gray, Queen of Edward IV. Bought by the Duke of Devonshire for

10601. 10s.

-

No, 6353. The most Pytifull History of the noble Appolyn, King of Thyre, 4to. M. G... very rare. W. de

Worde, 1519.

Bought by Mr. Nornaville for 115l. 10s. No. 6360. The History of Blanchardyn and the Princess Eglantyne, fol. red mor. Caxton.

Of this book there is no other copy known to exist; unfortunately it is imperfect at the end.-Bought by Earl Spencer for 2151. 5s. No. 6361. The right pleasaunt and goodlie Historye of the Four Sonnes of Aimon, fol. red mor. Caxton, 1554. Bought by Mr. Heber for 551. No. 6376. The Lyfe of Virgilius, with

wood-cuts, rare 4to.

Bought by the Marquis of Blandford for

541. 125.

No. 6377. The Storye of Frederycke of

Jenuen, with wood-cuts, 1518.
Bought by Mr. Triphook for 651. 2s.
No. 6378. The Story of Mary of Neme-

gen, with wood-cuts, 1518.
Bought by Mr. Triphook for 671.
The day's sale amounted to 5,0351.7s.
Earl Spencer was the competitor with
the Marquis of Blandford, the fortunate
purchaser, for the Decameron of Boc-
cacio. The marquis proposed starting
with five guineas, but Lord Spencer put
it in at 100. When the marquis bid the

299

last 101., Lord S. said, "I how to you." The engagement was very fierce, and at at its termination there was a general huzza! Presently after the marquis offered his hand to Lord S. saying, "We are good friends still?" His lordship replied, "Perfectly--indeed I am obliged to you." "So am I to you," said the marquis; "therefore the obligation is mutual." He said that it was his intention to have gone as far as 5,000l.-Before he was possessed of a copy of the same edition, but it wanted five leaves: "for which five leaves," as Lord S. observed, "he might be said to have given 2,2601."

It was not true, as was reported, that Mr. Nornaville was employed to purchase books at this sale for Buonaparte.

MR. EDITOR,

I SHOULD be much obliged to any of your correspondents who would favour me with the real or most probable derivation of the word guillotine, which, I believe, is generally thought to be named after its supposed inventor, one Dr. Guillotine, who perhaps, like our own Wedgwood, was ambitious of uniting his name by an indissoluble tie with that of his capital discovery-after the example of the immortal Phidias, who is said to have interwoven his own in so artful a manner with the mechanism of his celebrated Minerva, that, like the key-stone of an arch, it could not be detached without involving the destruction of the whole. Not being able to find in any historical record a trace of the existence of this famous doctor, I should be more inclined to deduce the etymology of the word in question from the French guele, or primarily from the Latin gula. It is not, I believe, well ascertained whether this instrument of death was in use, under its present title, before the time of the French Revolution, when its dexterous operator Sanson dyed (or, in the more expressive language of our great dramatist, incarnadined) the Place de Grève with his daily butcheries. But under whatever name it might have been previously known, I should wish to make it appear that as an engine of execution it is not of Gallic origin. This I shall endeavour to do by the assistance of a passage ex¬ tracted from the Britannia of our venerable chorographer Camden, who thus describes it as the common mode of inflicting the ultimum supplicium on malefactors at Halifax. (See p. 854 of "The as was Gibson's Translation.) drawn up by a pulley, and fastened with

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