(293) “Itineraria Symonis, Simeonis et Willelmi de Worcestre.”  Cantab. 1778, 8vo.; edited by Dr. James Nasmith, who published the excellent Catalogue of MSS, which Archbishop Parker left to Corpus Christi College, at Cambridge.-E.

(294) Thomas Warton’s “History Of English Poetry."-E.

(295) Miscellaneous State Papers, from 1501 to 1726, published by the Earl of Hardwicke, in two volumes 4to.-E.

Letter 134 To The Rev. Mr. Cole.  Arlington Street, May 21, 1778. (page 182)

I will not flatter you:  I was not in the least amused with either Simon, Simeon, or William of Worcestre.  If there was any thing tolerable in either, it was the part omitted, or the part I did not read, which was the Journey to Jerusalem, about which I have not the smallest curiosity.  I thank you for mentioning the Gentleman’s Magazine, which I sent for.

Mr. Essex has called upon me, and left me the drawing of a bridge, with which I am perfectly pleased-but I was unluckily out of town; he left no direction, and I know not where to seek him in this overgrown bottle of hay.  I still hope he will call again before his return.

May not I, should not I, wish you joy on the restoration of popery?(296) I expect soon to see Capuchins tramping about, and Jesuits in high places.  We are relapsing fast to our pristine state, and have nothing but our island, and our old religion.

Mr. Nasmith’s publication directed me to the MSS. in Benet Library, which I did not know was printed.  I found two or three from which I should be glad to have transcripts, and would willingly pay for; but I left the book at Strawberry, and must trouble you another time with that commission.

The city wants to bury Lord Chatham(297) in St. Paul’s; which, as a person said to me this morning, would literally be “robbing Peter to pay Paul.”  I wish it could be so, that there might be some decoration in that nudity, en attendant the re-establishment of various altars.  It is not my design to purchase the new edition of the Biographia; I trust they will give the old purchasers the additions as a supplement.  I had corrected the errata of the press, throughout my copy, but I could not take the trouble of transcribing them, nor could lend them the originals, as I am apt to scribble notes in the margins of all my books that interest me at all.  Pray let me know if Baker’s Life is among the additions, and whether you are satisfied with it, as there could not be events enough in his retired life to justify two accounts of it.