Various

"Pour qui se donne la peine de chercher, il y a toujours quelque trouvaille À faire, mÊme dans ce qui a ÉtÉ le plus visitÉ.—Henry Patin.

I take up a work of European celebrity, and reflect awhile on its bibliographic peculiarities—which may almost pass for romance.

It is a Scottish work with regard to the family connexion of its author: it is an Irish work with regard to the place of his nativity. It is an English work as to the scenes which it represents; a French work as to the language in which it was written; a Dutch work as to the country in which it came to light. It was formerly printed anonymously: it has since borne the name of its author. It was formerly printed for public sale: it has been twice printed for private circulation. It was formerly classed as fiction: it is now believed to be history.

But we have too many enigmas in the annals of literature, and I must not add to the number. The work to which I allude is the MÉmoires du comte de Grammont par le comte Antoine Hamilton.

The various indications of a projected re-impression of the work remind me of my portefeuille Hamiltonien, and impose on me the task of a partial transcription of its contents.

Of the numerous editions of the MÉmoires de Grammont as recorded by Brunet, Renouard, or QuÉrard, or left unrecorded by those celebrated bibliographers, I shall describe only four; which I commend to the critical examination of future editors:

1. "MÉmoires de la vie du comte de Grammont; contenant particuliÉrement l'histoire amoureuse de la cour d'Angleterre, sous le regne de Charles II. A Cologne, chez Pierre Marteau, 1713. 12^o, pp. 4 + 428.

"Avis du libraire.—Il seroit inutile de recommander ici la lecture des mÉmoires qui composent ce volume: le titre seul de MÉmoires du comte de Grammont rÉveillera sans doute la curiositÉ du public pour un homme qui lui est dÉjÀ si connu d'ailleurs, tant par la rÉputation qu'il a sÇu se faire, que par les diffÉrens portraits qu'en ont donnez Mrs. de Bussi et de St. Evremont, dans leurs ouvrages; et l'on ne doute nullement qu'il ne reÇoive, avec beaucoup de plaisir, un livre, dans lequel on lui raconte ses avantures, sur ce qu'il en a bien voulu raconter lui-mÊme À celui qui a pris la peine de dresser ces mÉmoires.

"Outre les avantures du comte de Grammont, ils contiennent particuliÈ[re]ment l'histoire amoureuse de la cour d'Angleterre, sous le regne de Charles II; et, comme on y dÉcouvre quantitÉ de choses, qui ont ÉtÉ tenues cachÉes jusqu'À prÉsent, et qui font voir jusqu'À quel excÈs on a portÉ le dÉrÉglement dans cette cour, ce n'est pas le morceau le moins intÉressant de ces mÉmoires.

"On les donne ici sur une copie manuscrite, qu'on en a reÇue de Paris: et on les a fait imprimer avec le plus d'exactitude qu'il a ÉtÉ possible."

The above is the first edition. The imprint is fictitious. It was much used by the ElzÉvirs, and by other Dutch printers. The second edition, with the same imprint, is dated in 1714 (Cat. de Guyon de SardiÈre, No. 939.). The third edition was printed at Rotterdam in 1716. The avis is omitted in that edition, and in all the later impressions which I have seen. Its importance as a history of the publication induces one to revive it. There is also an edition printed at Amsterdam in 1717 (Cat. de Lamy, No. 3918.); and another at La Haye in 1731 (Cat. de Rothelin, No. 2534*). Brunet omits the edition of 1713. Renouard and QuÉrard notice it too briefly.

2. "Memoires du comte de Grammont, par monsieur le comte Antoine Hamilton. Nouvelle edition, augmentÉe d'un discours prÉliminaire mÊlÉ de prose et de vers, par le mÊme auteur, et d'un avertissement contenant quelques anecdotes de la vie du comte Hamilton. A Paris, chez la veuve Pissot, Quay de Conti, À la croix d'or. 1746." 12^o. pp. 24 + 408.

"Avertissement. Le public a fait un accueil si favorable À ces MÉmoires, que nous avons crÛ devoir en procurer une nouvelle edition. Outre les avantures du comte de Grammont, trÈs-piquantes par elles-mÊmes, ils contiennent l'histoire amoureuse d'Angleterre sous le regne de Charles II. Ils sont d'ailleurs Écrits d'une maniÉre si vive et si ingÉnieuse, qu'ils ne laisseroient pas de plaire infiniment, quand la matiÉre en seroit moins interessante.

"Le hÉros de ces MÉmoires a trouvÉ dans le comte Hamilton un historien digne de lui. Car on n'ignore plus qu'ils sont partis de la mÊme main À qui l'on doit encore d'autres ouvrages frappÉs au mÊme coin.

"Nous avons enrichi cette edition d'un discours mÊlÉ de prose et de vers, oÙ l'on exagÉre la difficultÉ qu'il y a de bien rÉpresenter le comte de Grammont. On reconnoÎtra facilement que ce discours est du mÊme auteur que les MÉmoires, et qu'il devoit naturellement en orner le frontispice. Au reste il ne nous appartient point d'en apprÉcier le mÉrite. Nous dirons seulement que des personnes d'un goÛt sÛr et dÉlicat le comparent au Voyage de Chapelle, et qu'ils y trouvent les mÊmes graces, le mÊme naturel et la mÊme lÉgeretÉ.

"Il ne nous reste plus qu'À dire un mot de M. Hamilton lui-mÊme, auteur de ces mÉmoires, et du discours qui les prÉcede.

"Antoine Hamilton dont nous parlons, Étoit de l'ancienne et illustre maison de ce nom en Ecosse. Il nÂquit en Irlande. Il eut pour pÉre le chevalier Georges Hamilton, petit-fils du duc d'Hamilton, qui fut aussi duc de ChÂtelleraud en France.

"Sa mÉre Étoit madame Marie Butler, soeur du duc d'Ormond, viceroi d'Irlande, et grand maÎtre de la maison du roi Charles.

"Dans les rÉvolutions qui arrivÉrent du tems de Cromwel, ils suivirent le roi et le duc d'Yorck son frÉre qui passÉrent en France. Ils y amenÉrent leur famille. Antoine ne faisoit À peine que de naÎtre.

"Lorsque le roi fut rÉtabli sur son trÔne, il ramena en Angleterre les jeux et la magnificence. On voit dans les mÉmoires de Grammont combien cette cour Étoit brillante; la curiositÉ y attira le comte de Grammont. Il y vit mademoiselle d'Hamilton, il ne tarda pas À sentir le pouvoir de ses charmes, il l'Épousa enfin; et c'est la tendresse qu'Antoine avoit pour sa soeur, qui l'engagea À faire plusieurs voyages en France, oÙ il Étoit ÉlevÉ, et oÙ il a passÉ une partie de sa vie.

"M. Antoine Hamilton Étant catholique, il ne put obtenir d'emploi en Angleterre; et rien ne fut capable d'Ébranler ni sa religion, ni la fidÉlitÉ qu'il devoit À son roi.

"Le roi Jaques Étant montÉ sur le trÔne, il lui donna un regiment d'infanterie en Irlande et le gouvernement de Limeric. Mais ce prince, ayant ÉtÉ obligÉ de quitter ses etats le comte Hamilton repassa avec la famille royale en France. C'est-lÀ et pendant le long sÉjour qu'il y a fait, qu'il a composÉ les divers ouvrages qui lui ont acquis tant de rÉputation. Il mourut À S. Germain le 21 Avril 1720. dans de grands sentimens de piÉtÉ, et aprÈs avoir reÇu les derniers sacremens. Il Étoit ÂgÉ alors d'environ 74 ans. Il a mÉritÉ les regrets de tous ceux qui avoient le bonheur de le connoÎtre. NÉ sÉrieux, il avoit dans l'esprit tous les agrÉmens imaginables; mais ce qui est plus digne de louanges, À ces agrÉmens, qui vent frivoles sans la vertu, il joignoit toutes les qualitÉz du coeur."

If the above avertissement first appeared in 1746, which I have much reason to conclude, this is certainly a very important edition. The biographical portion of the advertisement is the foundation of the later memoirs of Hamilton. In the MorÉri of 1759, we have it almost verbatim, but taken from the Œuvres du comte Antoine Hamilton, 1749. Neither Brunet, nor Renouard, nor QuÉrard notice the edition of 1746. The copy which I have examined has the book-plate G.III.R.

3. "Memoires du comte de Grammont, par le C. Antoine Hamilton. 1760." [De l'imprimerie de Didot, rue PavÉe, 1760.] 12^o. I. partie, pp. 36 + 316. II. partie, pp. 4 + 340.

This edition has the same avertissement as that of 1746. The imprint is M.DCC.LX. The type resembles our small pica, and the paper has the water-mark Auvergne 1749. At the end of the second part appears, De l'imprimerie de Didot, rue PavÉe, 1760. This must be M. FranÇois Didot of Paris. I find the same colophon in the Bibliographie instructive, 1763-8. v. 631. This very neat edition has also escaped the aforesaid bibliographic trio!

4. "Memoires du comte de Grammont, par monsieur le comte Antoine Hamilton. Nouvelle edition, augmentÉe de notes et d'eclaircissemens necessaires, par M. Horace Walpole. ImprimÉe À Strawberry-Hill. 1772." 4^o, pp. 24 + 294. 3 portraits.

[Dedication.] "À madame....

"L'Éditeur vous consacre cette Édition, comme un monument de son amitiÉ, de son admiration, et de son respect; À vous, dont les grÂces, l'esprit, et le goÛt retracent au siÈcle prÉsent le siÈcle de Louis quatorze et les agrÉmens de l'auteur de ces mÉmoires."

Such are the inscriptions on the Strawberry-Hill gem. Much has been said of its brilliancy—and so, for the sake of novelty, I shall rather dwell on its flaws.

The volume was printed at the private press of M. Horace Walpole at Strawberry-Hill, and the impression was limited to one hundred copies, of which thirty were sent to Paris. So much for its attractions—now for its flaws. In reprinting the dedication to madame du Deffand, I had to insert eight accents to make decent French of it! The avis is a mere medley of fragments: I could not ask a compositor to set it up! The avertissement is copied, without a word of intimation to that effect, from the edition of 1746. The notes to the ÉpÎtre are also copied from that edition, except L'abbÉ de Chaulieu; and two of the notes to the memoirs are from the same source. The other notes, in the opinion of sir William Musgrave, are in part taken from an erroneous printed Key. Where are the Éclaircissements? I find none except a list of proper names—of which about one-third part is omitted!

In quoting Brunet, I have used the fourth edition of the Manuel du libraire, 1842-4; in quoting Renouard, I refer to the avis prefixed to the Œuvres du comte Antoine Hamilton, 1812; in quoting QuÉrard, to La France littÉraire, 1827-39. The other references are to sale catalogues. The titles of the books described, and the extracts, are given literatim, and, except as above noted, with the same accentuation and punctuation.

To revert to the question of a new edition: I should prefer the French text, for various reasons, to any English translation that could be made. That of Abel Boyer is wretched burlesque!

The chief requirements of a French edition would be, a collation of the editions of 1713 and 1746—the rectification of the names of persons and places—a revision of the punctuation—and a strict conformity, as to general orthography and accentuation, with the Dictionnaire de l'AcadÉmie franÇaise, as edited in 1835. The substance of the avis of 1713 might be stated in a preface; and the avertissement of 1746, a clever composition, would serve as an introduction and memoir of the author. Those who doubt its value may consult the Grand dictionnaire historique, and the Biographie universelle. As one hundred and sixty persons are noticed in the work, brevity of annotation is very desirable. It would require much research. The manuscript notes of sir William Musgrave would, however, be very serviceable—more so, I conceive, than the printed notes of M. Horace Walpole.

As the indications of a projected re-impression may be fallacious, I shall conclude with a word of advice to inexperienced collectors. Avoid the jolie Édition printed at Paris by F.A. Didot, par ordre de monseigneur le comte d'Artois, in 1781. It is the very worst specimen of editorship. Avoid also the London edition of 1792. The preface is a piratical pasticcio; the verbose notes are from the most accessible books; the portraits, very unequal in point of execution, I believe to be chiefly copies of prints—not d'aprÈs des tableaux originaux. The most desirable editions are, 1. The edition of 1760; 2. That of 1772, as a curiosity; 3. That edited by M. Renouard, Paris, 1812, 18^o. 2 vols.; 4. That edited by M. Renouard in 1812, 8^o. with eight portraits. The latter edition forms part of the Œuvres du comte Antoine Hamilton in 3 vols. It seldom occurs for sale.

Bolton Corney.

THE "ANCREN RIWLE."

The publication of this valuable semi-Saxon or Early English treatise on the duties of monastic life, recently put forth by the Camden Society, under the editorship of the Rev. James Morton, is extremely acceptable, and both the Society and the editor deserve the cordial thanks of all who are interested in the history of our language. As one much interested in the subject, and who many years since entertained the design now so ably executed by Mr. Morton, I may perhaps be allowed to offer a few remarks on the work itself, and on the manuscripts which contain it. Mr. Morton is unquestionably right in his statement that the Latin MS. in Magdalen College, Oxford, No. 67., is only an abridged translation of the original vernacular text. Twenty-three years ago I had access to the same MS. by permission of the Rev. Dr. Routh, the President of Magdalen College, and after reading and making extracts from it^[1], I came to the same conclusion as Mr. Morton. It hardly admits, I think, of a doubt; for even without the internal evidence furnished by the Latin copy, the age of the manuscripts containing the Early English text at once set aside the supposition that Simon of Ghent (Bishop of Salisbury from 1297 to 1315) was the original author of the work. The copy in Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, I have not seen, but of the three copies in the British Museum I feel confident that the one marked Cleopatra C. vi. was actually written before Bishop Simon of Ghent had emerged from the nursery. This copy is not only the oldest, but the most curious, from the corrections and alterations made in it by a somewhat later hand, the chief of which are noticed in the printed edition. The collation, however, of this MS. might have been, with advantage, made more minutely, for at present many readings are passed over. Thus, at p. 8., for unweote the second hand has congoun; at p. 62., for herigen it has preisen; at p. 90., for on cheafle, it reads o muÞe, &c. The original hand has also some remarkable variations, which would cause a suspicion that this was the first draft of the author's work. Thus, at p. 12., for scandle, the first hand has schonde; at p. 62., for baldeliche it reads bradliche; at p. 88., for nout for, it has anonden, and the second hand aneust; at p. 90., for sunderliche it reads sunderlepes, &c. All these, and many other curious variations, are not noticed in the printed edition. On the fly-leaf of this MS. is written, in a hand of the time of Edward I., as follows: "Datum abbatie et conventui de Leghe per Dame M. de Clare." The lady here referred to was doubtless Maud de Clare, second wife of Richard de Clare, Earl of Hereford and Gloucester, who, at the beginning of the reign of Edward I., is known to have changed the Augustinian Canons of Leghe, in Devonshire, into an abbess and nuns of the same order; and it was probably at the same period she bestowed this volume on them. The conjecture of Mr. Morton, that Bishop Poore, who died in 1237, might have been the original author of the Ancren Riwle, is by no means improbable, and deserves farther inquiry. The error as to Simon of Ghent is due, in the first place, not to Dr. Smith, but to Richard James (Sir Robert Cotton's librarian), who wrote on the fly-leaves of all the MSS. in the Cottonian Library a note of their respective contents, and who is implicitly followed by Smith. Wanley is more blamable, and does not here evince his usual critical accuracy, but (as remarked by Mr. Morton) he could only have looked at a few pages of the work. The real fact seems to be that Simon of Ghent made the abridged Latin version of the seven books of the Riwle now preserved in Magdalen College, and this supposition may well enough be reconciled with the words of Leland, who says of him,—

"Edidit inter cÆtera, libros septem de Vita Solitaria, ad Virgines Tarentinas, DuriÆ cultrices."—Comment., p. 316.

A second copy of the Latin version was formerly in the Cottonian collection (Vitellius E. vii.), but no fragment of it has hitherto been recovered from the mass of burnt crusts and leaves left after the fire of 1731. I am happy, however, to add, that within the last few months, the manuscript marked Vitellius F. vii., containing a French translation of the Riwle, made in the fourteenth century (very closely agreeing with the vernacular text), has been entirely restored, except that the top margins of the leaves have been burnt at each end of the volume. This damage has, unfortunately, carried away the original heading of the treatise, and the title given us by Smith is copied partly from James's note. This copy of the French version appears to be unique, and is the more interesting from its having a note at the end (now half obliterated by the fire), stating that it belonged to Eleanor de Bohun, Duchess of Gloucester, whose motto is also added, "Plesance. M [mil]. en vn." The personage in question was Eleanor, daughter of Humphrey de Bohun, Earl of Hereford, and wife of Thomas of Woodstock, who ended her days as a nun in the convent at Barking in 1399. Is any other instance known of the use of this motto? Before I conclude these brief remarks, I may mention a fifth copy of the Ancren Riwle, which has escaped the notice of Mr. Morton. It is buried in the enormous folio manuscript of old English poetry and prose called the Vernon MS., in the Bodleian Library, written in the reign of Richard II., and occurs at pp. 371^b.—392. In the table of contents prefixed to this volume it is entitled "The Roule of Reclous;" and although the phraseology is somewhat modernised, it agrees better with the MS. Cleopatra C. vi, than with Nero A. xiv., from which Mr. Morton's edition is printed. This copy is not complete, some leaves having been cut out in the sixth book, and the scribe leaves off at p. 420. of the printed edition.

It is very much to be wished that Mr. Morton would undertake the task of editing another volume of legends, homilies, and poems, of the same age as the Ancren Riwle, still existing in various manuscripts. One of the homilies, entitled "Sawles Warde," in the Bodley MS. 34., Cott. MS. Titus D. xviii., and Old Royal MS. 17A. xxvii., is very curious, and well deserves to be printed.

F. Madden.

British Museum.

At p. viii. of Mr. Morton's preface, for "yerze" (eye), my extracts read "yze."