C.W.G.

* * * * *

ANTONY ALSOP.

“R.H.” (No. 14, p. 215.) will find all, I believe, that is known respecting Antony Alsop, in that rich storehouse of materials for the literary history of the last century, Nichols’s Anecdotes, or in Chalmers (Biog.  Dict.), who has merely transcribed from it.  The volume of Latin Odes your correspondent mentions, was published by Sir Francis Bernard, and printed by Bowyer.  Some notice of Sir Francis Bernard will also be found in Nichols.

The Odes were long circulated in MS.; and I have a copy that once belonged to Thomas Warton, which seems to have been written by G. Crochly, of Christchurch College, in 1736.  It contains, however, nothing that is not to be found in the printed volume.  The Dedication to the Duke of Newcastle was written by Bernard, who had intended to have given a preface and copious notes, as appears by the prospectus he published:  but, to our great regret, he was dissuaded from his purpose.

Alsop was a favourite with that worthy man and elegant scholar Dean Aldrich, at whose instance he published his pleasing little volume, Fabularum AEsopicarum Delectus, Oxon. 1698.  In the preface Bentley is thus designated—­“Richardum quendam Bentleium Virum in volvendis Lexicus satis diligentem:”  and there is a severe attack upon him in one of the fables, which was not forgotten by the great scholar, who affects to speak of Tony Alsop the fabulist with great contempt.

I have never seen the volume of Latin and English Poems published in 1738; but, notwithstanding the designation, “a gentleman of Trinity College,” it may be at least partly by Alsop, though he undoubtedly was of Christchurch.  There are English poems by him, published both in Dodsley’s and Pearch’s collection, and several in the early volumes of the Gentleman’s Magazine.  I have the authority of a competent judge for saying, that the very witty, but not quite decent verses in that miscellany, vol. v. p. 216—­“Ad Hypodidasculum quendam plagosum, alterum orbilium, ut uxorem duceret, Epistola hortativa.”  Subscribed “Kent, Lady-day, 1835”—­are Alsop’s.  He took the degree of M.A. in 1696, and of B.D. in 1706, and, by favour of the Bishop of Winchester, got a prebend in his cathedral, and the rectory of Brightwell, Berks.  He was accidentally drowned in a ditch leading to his garden gate, in 1726.  There is good reason to believe that a MS. life of him is to be found among the Rawlinson MSS., which it may be worth while to consult.

It will be remembered that Christchurch was the head-quarters of the phalanx of wits opposed to Bentley.

    “Nor wert thou, Isis, wanting to the day,
     [Tho’ Christchurch long kept prudishly away,”]

is Pope’s ironical banter; and he has not failed to mention Alsop and Freind in Bentley’s speech:—­

    “Let Freind affect to speak as Terence spoke,
     And Alsop never but like Horace joke,”