“The unwearied Bragge, with zeal, in moving strains,
   Unfolds the mysteries Scripture-Book contains;
   Marks every truth, of error shows the cause,
   And from each mystery useful doctrine draws.”

The unfavourable notice of Dr. Sam.  Wright in the opening stanza, is at variance with the general report of biographers.  In the copy of the verses in the Blackmore MSS. is this note:—­“I think this is too severe on the Dr.”  Dr. Wright was admired for his pulpit elocution; and it is said that Archbishop Herring was, in his younger years, a frequent hearer of his, with a view to improve in elocution.  The notice of the celebrated Tom Bradbury is grossly unjust.  He was a man of wit and courage, though sometimes boisterous and personal.  His unsparing opponent, Dr. Caleb Fleming, wrote admiringly of “his musical voice, and the flow of his periods, adapting scripture language to every purpose.”—­The Character of the Rev. Mr. Thos.  Bradbury, taken from his own Pen, &c. Lond. 8vo. 1749, p. 35.

A.B.R.

Dukinfield.

* * * * *

REPLIES TO MINOR QUERIES.

Tracts by Dekker and Nash.—­The Raven’s Almanacke, 1609, is the production of Thomas Dekker, the dramatist, and one of the rarest of his numerous works.  A copy sold in the Gordonstown sale for seven guineas; and another occurred in Mr. J.H.  Bright’s collection (No. 1691.); but I have not the sale catalogue at hand to quote the price.  Dekker was also the author of a similar work, entitled The Owle’s Almanacke, 1618; but it is not mentioned in the lists furnished by {455} Lowndes and Dr. Nott.  The latter is indeed very inaccurate, omitting many well-known productions of the author, and assigning others to him for which he is not answerable.  Whilst upon the subject of Dekker, I cannot resist mentioning a fraud upon his memory which has, I believe, escaped the notice of bibliographers.  In 1697 was published a small volume, entitled, The Young Gallant’s Academy, or Directions how he should behave himself in an Ordinary, in a Playhouse, in a Tavern, &c., with the Character of a Town-Huff, by Samuel Vincent.  This is nothing more than a reprint of Dekker’s Gull’s Horn-book, with some slight alterations to adapt it to the times.

Nash’s Terrors of the Night, or a Discourse of Apparitions, was printed by John Danter for William Jones, 1594.  It is a very interesting tract, and contains many personal allusions to its unfortunate author.  A copy was sold in Heber’s sale (Part IV.  No. 1592.) for 5l. 18s.  A note in the handwriting of that distinguished collector gives us the following information:—­

“Only two other copies are known to exist, one in the Ashbridge Library at Cleveland House, the other, not so fine as the present, bought by Malone at Brand’s, since James Boswell’s, and now (1825) penes me, R.H.”

All things considered, I think your correspondent “J.E.” (p. 400.) may congratulate himself on having “met with a prize.”