Overton, near Marlborough. THE following Letters of Alexander Pope are copied literatim from the originals in possession of a friend. The gentlemen to whom they are addressed, are mentioned among Pope's friends in a line of Gay's epistle to him on the conclusion of his Iliad: Lo! the two Dancastles in Berkshire known. These were the country squires of Binfield, where Pope for some time resided. Lysons, in his " Magna Britannia," says, "the manor of Binfield was purchased in 1595 of the Staffords of Bradfield, by John Dancastle, esq. whose descendant of the same name conveyed it in 1754 to William Pitt, esq." Yours, &c. CHARLES HOYLE. To John Dancastle, Esq. att Binfield, near Ockingham, Berks. Dr Sir, Twitenham, Jan. 5. I give you ye trouble of this to recom'end what needs no recom'endation to you, an Act of Charity, in this holy time. It is in behalf of the poor Girl I formerly spoke to you of, and to whom you have been formerly charitable sometimes, Betty Fletcher. She is so deplorable an object, as well in regard of Sickness and Disability, as of Poverty, that if, out of Mrs. Moore's Beneficences of this kind, wch are many and great, she would please to allow her any small matter as a weekly salary, tho' never so little, it would help her necessities much more than any larger gifts at uncertain times. I know you'l make this your request, since I make it mine, and 1 almost hope you know me enough to be assured I would rather Do this, than Ask it. But I am become, like many other Too Covetuous people, one of the Poor of my Parish, who have learn'd very much on the sudden, and very much agst my Will (which is just contrary at this time to the Lord's Will) that Charity begins at home. However, I'l promise you one thing, that is of consequence to any Friend at this season, that I'll not beg or borrow of you myself, provided you'l take some care of Betty Fletcher. I make you no Apology for this Letter, and so bluntly conclude, Y' Brother's and your faithfull affect' Servant, A. POPE. To Mr. T. Dancastle, at Binfield near Oakingham, Berks [franked by "Burlington."] Dear Sir, Aug. ye 7th, 1716. Several reasons and accidents, too long and too inconsiderable to enumerate, have hinder'd my writing to you for some time. And another, which I take for a better reason than all those, had like to have done it now; which is, that I hope in a very short time to see you at Binfield. À journey into the North, which my Lord Burlington proposed I should take with him this month, being deferr'd till the next. And I have resolved not to lose a whole season (and a season of fruit too) without waiting on your Brother and y' self. As to my method of travelling, I will not give him the trouble wch I hear by more hands than one, he is ready to take, of sending my Horse hither; since I am equipt otherwise. I only want to know if both of y" shall be at home abt the 20th of this month; without which precaution I would not begin my Rambles, the first design of which is to have some happy hours in your company. Notwithstanding this, if you have had leisure to transcribe the Book I troubled y" with, I would rather it 292 Original Letters of Alexander Pope. were conveyed hither by some safe hand than given me at your house, since I should chuse to leave it with a Critick or two during my journeys. I have been here in a constant Course of Entertainm's and Visits ever since I saw you, wch I partly delight in, and partly am tired with; the common case in all pleasures. I have not dined at home these 15 days, and perfectly regrett the quiet, indolence, silence, and sauntring, that made up my whole life in Windsor Forest. I shall therefore infallibly be better company and better pleased than ever you knew me, as soon as I can get under the shade of Priest-Wood, whose trees I have yet some Concern about. I hope, whatever license the freeborn Subjects of your Commons may take, there will yet be Groves enough left in those Forests to keep a Pastoralwriter in countenance. Whatever belongs to the Crown is indeed as much trespas'd upon at this time in the Court as in the Country. While you are lopping his timber, we are lopping his Prerogative. I desire you to take notice how naturally I talk like a man at St. James's end of the town, and how entirely I have put off the Airs of a Country Gentleman. Thus it is, we always are proud of the last thing we do, and the Condition we put ourselves into, though it be the worst in the world, and immediately treat our Old acquaintance as odd people of an inferior Sphere. I ought upon this principle to rally you upon your harvest time, make pictures of my Friends tossing Wheatsheaves and raising Reeks, imagine I see you in a great Sweat and Hurry; and all that. this I reserve till I see you; unless I should then on a sudden affect the fine Gentleman, and extoll the Innocence and Exercise of the Rural Life. I know, however I behave myself, and whatever I say or write to you, You'll take in good part upon the knowledge how truly and affectionately I am your good Brother's, and Dr Sir, Your faithful and humble Servt, A. POPE. But To Mr. Tho. Dancastle. Dear Sir, Chichester Oct. 18. 1 deferr'd to trouble you with any of my impertinent Commissions or Exhortations to a Winter Journey when I heard you had a great Cold, [Oct. an Obstacle which I hope may by this time be removed. The weather is very inviting, and I wait only for notice by a Letter from Ladyholt, to sally forth on that expedition. But I dont intend to tye you to an old promise, which I take to be the worst sort of Tye in the world, except one (which you may probably guess at). Therfore, as I can contrive matters pretty easily to myself as to this Journey, so I beg you to use me, in regard to it, with all the freedom of a Friend, and a due regard to your own ease. I entreat the favour of you to send the 14th Book, as you have done me the pleasure to copy it fair, by ye Ockingham Coach next Monday, when I shall send to meet it. But be pleased to keep by you the Original, for fear of any accident. I have just ended the 15th, which must wayt a better Opportunity, and may perhaps by that delay grow the more correct. If it travels too young, it may come again like most young travellers, very unfinished and unentertaining. I have no more to add, but my hearty services to yourself and Brother, our thanks for his last Visit, our hopes of another either from him or you, our acknowledgments for the Strawberry plants, cum multis aliis. And (what I shall never neglect either to profess myself, or to be with all sincerity), D Sir, your most affectionate Friend and Serv', A. POPE. I beg our kind loves to Hallgrove, and a line from you of y' health. The direction of the ensuing Letter is wanting, but it must have been ad dressed to Mr. Thomas Dancastle. Chiswick, Oct. 25. Dr Sir, This last fine week has made me goe about from Village to Village in my flying Chariot to take my last leave of the Country for this year. And that hindered my writing to thank you for ye Copies you sent me. I have those of the 17th and 18th, with the odd leaves brought by my Sister, which will be returned you at her return. In the mean time you'l oblige me by sending ye foul papers of the 2 first books by ye Ockingham Coach. As soon as I have acknowledg'd a favor from one of you, I receive one 1831.] Naval Costume temp. Eliz. et Jas. I. from another. The Grapes from your Brother came safely t'other day, and Are no more (to speak poetically), that is, they are eaten: but the Gratitude due for such fine fruit is not departed with them: I most thankfully acknowledge His and Their great goodness. I very much want to see you both, and it was against my conscience I past lately through Maidenhead, without deviating into the Forest. But it was in a Stage-coach, wherein no man ought to be accounted a Free Agent. Here is good Mrs. Racket in a melancholy way for want of your good company. She says Chiswick is a very lonely place in comparison of Hallgrove; where, and whereabouts, there are kept above 20 coaches, besides stages on the Heath, we are without number. This very moment she is in great distress, the Spout of her Tea-pot being stopp'd, and She in impatient expectation of that Due Benevolence it ought to dispense for her Breakfast. You will hereby perceive that this is written in that Part of ye day which the Ancients accounted holy, namely, early in the morning. Breakfast (a sacred rite, and of great antiquity) calls upon me, the coffee smokes less and less, and tells me it will speedily be cold, unless I conclude this letter; which I obediently do, in assuring you of a sincere truth, that I am Mr. Dancastle's and, Dr Sir, your most faithfull affectionate Servant, A. POPE. Mr. URBAN, Sept. 19. IN a volume of miscellaneous documents relative to the Army and Navy, which formerly belonged to Sir Wm. Musgrave, Bart. and is now among the Additional MSS. in the British Museum, No. 5752, I find an original Warrant of James the First, dated 6 April, 1604, containing some curious details respecting the Uniforms then worn by the six principal Masters of the Navy, which may prove interesting to those who are making researches into the history of the dress of naval officers, as authorised by the Crown. From a note at the foot of the Warrant, signed by Charles Howard, Earl of Nottingham, then Lord High Admiral, it appears to have been only the renewal of a similar one issued by Queen Elizabeth, 293 but which had become void at her death. The entire expense of a coat for one of the Masters, as specified in the document, including the materials, embroidery, and charge for making, amounts to 101. 28. 54d. which, computed by the equivalent value of money and labour at the present period, would be about 40l. This warrant appears to have been brought before the notice of the Antiquarian Society in March 1830, accompanied by some Remarks on the Change of Naval Uniforms, by H. Ellis and E. H. Locker, Esqrs. (see Gent. Mag. vol. c. i. p. 256); but as this communication is not included in the last volume of the Archæologia, I presume all idea of printing it was abandoned. Yours, &c. NAUTICUS. (Signed) JAMES R. JAMES by the grace of God, of England, Scotland, Fraunce, and Ireland, Kinge, defender of the faithe, &c.— To our trustie and Right welbeloved Councello St George Howmes, knight, Mr of our grete wardrobe, and to the Mr of the same that hereafter for the tyme shalbe, greetinge. Wee will and comaunde you ymediatlie vpon the sight hereof, to delyu' or cause to be deliu'ed vnto or welbeloved servantes John Awstyn, Thomas Grove, John Haukin, John Eliot, Roger Morrice, and Thomas Tompson, Six principall Maisters of of ships, by vs appointed to that office, and to eu'y one that shall hereafter succeed them in the saide office, theis p'cells followinge for theire Lyu'ie Coates, that is to saie, To eu'y of them two Yardes of fyne Red cloth at Thirtene shillinges and fower pence a Yarde. Item to eu'y of them two Yardes of velvet for gardinge the same Coats at Twentie shillinges the Yarde; To eu'y of them Ten ounces of silke lace for garnishinge the same Coats, at two shillinges and fower pence the ounce; To eu'y of them two ounces of sowinge silke at Twentie pence the ounce; Item, to eu'y of them two Yardes of passamayne Lace at fower pence the Yarde; Item, to eu'y of them two dozen of buttons of silke and golde at two shillinges and six pence the dozen; Item, two dozen of buttons, and lowpes of silke at Two shillinges the dozen; Item, for Imbroderinge of theire Coats wth ships, Roses, Crownes, and or L'res J. R. Richlie Imbrodered wth venice gold, 294 The first Institutors of Sunday Schools. silu' and silke, and wth spangles of silu' and silke, price the peice fower powndes; Item, to eu'y of them one Yarde and a half of fustian for Lyninge the bodies at Twelue pence the Yarde, To eu'y of them two Yardes and a quarter of bayes for the skirtes of theire Coates at two shillinges and six pence the Yarde, To eu'y of them for facinge half a Yard of Taffatie, and to eu'y of them two dozen of silke poyntes wth silu' tages, and for makinge of eu'y of the same Coates Thirtene shillinges fower pence. And also wee will and comaunde you, that on the Sixtenth day of March, against the feaste of Easter, weh shalbe in the Yeare of or Lord god 1604. And at the same daie and feaste wch shalbe in the Yeare of or Lord god 1605. And so forth at eu'ry Like day and feaste which hereafter shall happen eu'y yeare, you delyu' or Cause to be delyu'ed vnto the saide John Awstyn, Thomas Grove, John Haukin, John Eliot, Roger Morris, and Thom's Tompson, to eu'y of them for theire lyu'ies the like p'cells duringe theire lives. And to eu'y one that shall succeed them in that office in Like sorte as they have. And theis or L'res signed wth or owne hand, shalbe yo' sufficient warrant dormant and discharge in that behalf for the deliu'y of the p'misses in forme aforesaide. Given vnder or signet this Sixt day of Aprill, Anno d'ni 1604. And in the yeares of or raigne of England, Fraunce, and Ireland, the second, And of Scotland the Seaven and Thertith. It may please yor Matie to renewe this warrant for the lyueries of the six principal Mrs of yor Highnes ships, the same beinge drawne verbatim wth the warraunt signed by the late Queene, wch by reason of her death is become voyde, and they denyed the havinge of their lyveryes vntill it shall please yor Matie to renewe the former warNOTINGHAM. rante. Mr. URBAN, Gloucester, Oct. 17. YOUR Correspondent CORNELIUS (p. 132) is, like others, egregiously mistaken in stating that Sunday Schools were first instituted by Mr. Robert Raikes of Gloucester, if he means to confine that honour to that gentleman alone. All the senior inhabitants of Gloucester, of whom I am one, know the contrary to be the fact, and I can produce to you several names of contemporary persons still [Oct. living, to confirm what I say. The error is confined to strangers, and to the more recent inhabitants of this city. We, the contemporaries, know that the Rev. Thomas Stock had an equal share in the establishment of those Schools in Gloucester; nay, more than an equal share, for it was he that arranged the plan of the Schools, drew up ne rules for their management, and had the sole superintendence of the three first Schools of this kind. On taking orders, I settled in this city in the spring of 1783, about three years after the commencement of this institution; and immediately became intimate with the two gentlemen in question, being associated with Mr. Stock in the college school, and soon after curate of St. Mary de Crypt, Mr. Raikes's parish. I may fairly presume, therefore, that the circumstances connected with the first establishment of Sunday Schools in Gloucester, are perhaps better known by me than by any other person now living. But, to place the matter beyond a doubt, I subjoin a statement made by the husband of the first teacher of a Sunday School in Gloucester, Mr. King, of St. Catherine-street. The first Sunday School in Gloucester was kept in the house in which Mr. King now lives, and has lived ever since. His wife was the first teacher, and continued in the office for about three years, and upon her death was succeeded by her husband, who performed the duty for many years. He still possesses a Bible given on the commencement of the institution, which has the date of July 1780. The Rev. Thomas Stock, head-master of the Cathedral School, and then Curate of Hempstead, came to Mr. King's house, accompanied by Mr. Raikes, to engage Mrs. King as teacher of the first School about to be established. She was paid eighteen pence per Sunday for her trouble, one shilling of which was contributed by Mr. Raikes, and sixpence by Mr. Stock; a proportion utterly incommensurate with the several resources of each party. Two other Schools were established at the same time in the parish of St. Catherine; the teachers of which received only one shilling each per Sunday, contributed by the same two gentlemen, and in the same proportions. The three teach 1831.] The first Institutors of Sunday Schools. ers, and after his wife's death, Mr. King himself, went together weekly to Mr. Stock's house, or to the College-School, to receive his proportion of their payment. Mr. Stock attended constantly at the Schools, on his return from evening service at Hempstead, to inspect and regulate their progress. When Mr. Raikes established a similar School in his own parish of St. Mary-de-Crypt, he discontinued his contribution to the Schools in St. Catherine's, and the expenditure then fell entirely upon Mr. Stock, until, at a future period, the Rev. Richard Raikes came to reside in Gloucester, and took a share in the expense. When Mr. Stock became Curate of St. John's and St. Aldate's, he established two Sunday Schools in his own parish at his own expense, in Hare-lane. The circumstance of Mr. Raikes's discontinuing his contribution to the St. Catherine School, has been confirmed to me by Mr. Stock's widow, now residing in Gloucester, who well remembers her husband's complaining of the additional pecuniary burden laid upon him. In Nichols's Literary Anecdotes, vol. ix. p. 540, is an account of the origin of this institution, differing in no material circumstance from Mr. King's statement, but mentioning one or two particulars which I will transcribe. It is there said, that Mr. Stock invited Mr. Raikes to attend him, to adopt some mode of doing good to the children of the poor; that the rules were formed by Mr. Stock for the conduct of the children, and that Mr. Stock took upon himself the inspection of the children. It gives the same account with Mr. King of the proportions of the expenditure, and thus concludes, “whatever, therefore, may be the merit of Mr. Raikes in this business, Mr. Stock is at least an equal sharer in the honour of this excellent institution." It is not easy to conceive what can be alleged in contradiction, except it be Mr. Raikes's subsequent services in promoting the institution. Now, my intimacy with that gentleman The paragraph immediately preceding Mr. Nichols's statement, makes it seem probable that he compressed it from an eulogium on Mr. Raikes, by Dr. Glasse, inserted in the Gentleman's Magazine, vol. LVIII. pp. 11-15. 295 made me perfectly acquainted with the nature and extent of those services. The fact was this: While Mr. Stock's attention was limited in a noiseless manner to the inspection of the Sunday Schools, Mr. Raikes took the advantage of his newspaper to make the institution known, but without a word of Mr. Stock's labours; and thence the matter found its way into other papers. The consequence was a multitude of inquiries from all quarters, but to Mr. Raikes alone, for nothing was known about Mr. Stock. The answers to these inquiries which I was in the habit of seeing, shown me by Mr. Raikes, generally contained the mode of proceeding in the original Schools, with the rules for their conduct, which you are to remember were drawn up by Mr. Stock alone. In these answers Mr. Stock's name was uniformly omitted; for unfortunately an excessive vanity was a prominent feature in Mr. Raikes's character, a circumstance in which you will find all his surviving contemporaries uniformly agree he was otherwise a good-natured, hospitable man, doing the honours of the place to any conspicuous strangers who visited it; among whom I may name the celebrated Prison Howard, whom I once met at Mr. Raikes's table, and the Mr. Hanway mentioned by your Correspondent, whom I once saw in Mr. Raikes's company. You will find in the ninth vol. page 543, of Mr. Nichols's Literary Anecdotes, a letter written by Mr. Raikes to the Rev. Bowen Dickens of Ross, June 27, 1788, in which he speaks of his interview with Queen Charlotte which had recently taken place. In that interview he made no mention at all of Mr. Stock, as having been his coadjutor in establishing the institution; and thus, through vanity alone, passed over so favourable an opportunity of being perhaps of most essential service to his friend, as a clergyman of very limited resources. This omission was highly blamed by his townsmen at the time; and I think your Correspondent CORNELIUS will allow the blame to be well-deserved. Mr. Raikes's conduct towards Mr. Stock throughout the whole business of Sunday Schools, is one among the many instances of human infirmity mixing itself with our good actions. |