Mr. C. E. Doble tells me that in the proposals issued in 1690 by Thomas Bennet, St. Paul’s Churchyard, for printing Anthony a Wood’s Athenae Oxonienses and Fasti Oxonienses, among ’the booksellers who take subscriptions, give receipts, and deliver books according to the proposals’ is ‘Mr. Johnson in Litchfield.’

The City and County of Lichfield.

(Vol. i, p. 36, n. 4.)

’The City of Litchfield is a County of itself, with a jurisdiction extending 10 or 12 miles round, which circuit the Sheriff rides every year on Sept. 8.’—­A Tour through the Whole Island of Great Britain, ed. 1769, ii. 419.

Balliol College has a copy of this work containing David Garrick’s book-plate, with Shakespeare’s head at the top of it, and the following quotation from Menagiana at the foot:—­

’La premiere chose qu’on doit faire quand on a emprunte un livre, c’est de le lire, afin de pouvoir le rendre plutot’ (sic).

Felixmarte of Hircania.

(Vol. i, p. 49.)

’"He that follows is Florismarte of Hyrcania” said the barber.  “What! is Signor Florismarte there?” replied the priest; “in good faith he shall share the same fate, notwithstanding his strange birth and chimerical adventures; for his harsh and dry style will admit of no excuse.  To the yard with him, therefore.”  “With all my heart, dear Sir,” answered the housekeeper; “and with joyful alacrity she executed the command.’” —­Don Quixote, ed. 1820, i. 48.

Boswell speaks of Felixmarte as the old Spanish romance.  In the Bibliografia dei Romanzi e Poeini Cavallereschi Italiani (2nd ed., Milan, 1838), p. 351, it is stated that in the Spanish edition it is called a translation from the Italian, and in the Italian edition a translation from the Spanish.  The Italian title is Historia di Don Florismante d’Ircania, tradotta dallo Spagnuolo.  Cervantes, in an edition of Don Quixote, published in 1605, which I have looked at, calls the book Florismarte de Hircania (not Florismante).  It should seem that he made his hero read the Italian version.

Palmerin of England and Don Belianis.

(Vol. i, p. 49, n. 2; and vol. iii, p. 2.)

’"Let Palmerin of England be preserved,” said the licentiate, “and kept as a jewel; and let such another casket be made for it as that which Alexander found among the spoils of Darius appropriated to preserve the works of the poet Homer....Therefore, master Nicholas, saving your better judgment let this and Amadis de Gaul be exempted from the flames, and let all the rest perish without any farther inquiry.”  “Not so neighbour,” replied the barber, “for behold here the renowned Don Belianis.”  The priest replied, “This with the second, third, and fourth parts, wants a little rhubarb to purge away its excessive choler; there should be removed too all that relates to the castle of Fame, and other impertinencies of still greater consequence; let them have the benefit, therefore, of transportation, and as they show signs of amendment they shall hereafter be treated with mercy or justice; in the meantime, friend, give them room in your house; but let nobody read them."’ —­Don Quixote, ed. 1820, i. 50.