MINOR CORRESPONDENCE.

THE

GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE

AND

HISTORICAL REVIEW.

THOMAS HEARNE.

LEAVING London by the 9.40 train, we may reasonably hope to reach Oxford soon after Great Tom has sounded the hour of eleven, and ere St. Mary's dial points to the half-hour, we pass it on our way to the farfamed Bodleian Library. Mounting the stairs, and on reaching its portals, we express a wish to view some of its treasures; this wish being politely acceded to, we are permitted to survey the miles of shelves loaded with books, which have been the solace of Seldens, Lauds, and hundreds of other great, noble, and learned men: passing numbers of tempting recesses, we arrive at a tall, narrow closet, the door of which flies open as we approach, and exhibits an array of small pocket volumes, which at first sight appear to belong to Murray's Family Library, but on closer inspection are discovered to be volumes of MS., half-bound in vellum, the backs neatly inscribed in faded ink with various numbers and dates.

On opening some of the volumes, we find them filled with the most curious extracts, occurrences, and opinions, written in a hand which we wish our contributors would adopt, carefully dated and indexed, and are one hundred and forty-five in number: they are the pocket-books or diaries of Thomas Hearne the antiquary; the earliest date is July 4, 1705, and the latest June 4, 1735, six days before his death. Hard by these manuscripts, which almost tempt us to stay an extra day in Oxford, that we may obtain permission to read and make extracts from them, we discover two portly volumes, entitled, “ Reliquiæ Hearniana: The Remains of Thomas Hearne, M.A., of Edmund Hall, being Extracts from his MS. Diaries; collected, with a few Notes, by Philip Bliss, late Fellow of St. John's College, now Principal of St. Mary Hall, in the University of Oxford. Printed for the Author, by James Wright, Printer to the University." Before leaving Oxford, we were fortunate enough to secure and bring away a copy, and will now, with the reader's permission, make some few extracts from it, with also a few notes from other sources.

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But first a few words respecting the author. He was born in 1678, and was the eldest son of George Hearne, parish-clerk of White Waltham, a small village in Berks, who, on condition of teaching ten boys, was allowed the use of the vicarage-house, by the (we presume) non-resident clergyman. His father taught him reading, and also to write that beautiful hand

We say fortunate, for the book was not published in the ordinary manner, but was issued to subscribers at two guineas a-set, and only a small number of copies were printed. The demand has been such, that it is, we learn, already out of print, and at a premium: and have seen it marked in Willis and Sotheran's Catalogue at £2 8s.

which we have already admired. Tom was early addicted to a peculiar study, which doubtless had considerable influence upon him in after life, for almost as soon as he knew the alphabet he was observed to be continually poring over the tombstones in the churchyard. This study, humble as it was, was soon put an end to by his being compelled to go to day labour for a subsistence: but his skill in reading and writing having reached the ears of a neighbouring gentleman, Mr. Francis Cherry, he put him to school at Bray, about three miles from White Waltham Vicarage, from which he walked every morning and returned at night. At school he acquitted himself much to the satisfaction of master and patron-indeed, so pleased was the latter with Tom's progress, that in 1695 he took him into his house, and instructed him as if he had been his own son. Here he found another friend in the person of the learned Non-juror Dodwell, who occasionally employed him in transcribing some manuscripts. He remained for about twelve months under the hospitable roof of Mr. Cherry, who in 1695 entered his name as a battelar of Edmund Hall; but he remained in Oxford only long enough to be matriculated, returning to Mr. Cherry's in order that he might again go to Bray School till Easter Term, 1696, when he took up his abode at Edmund Hall, where he remained till the time of his decease, nearly forty years afterwards.

At Oxford he exhibited the same assiduity as at school, and became a great favourite with Dr. Mill, the learned editor of the Greek Testament, who occasionally employed him in collating MSS.,-even sent him to Eton to compare a MS. of Tatian and Athenagoras in the college library. His next work was transcribing Sir Henry Spelman's "History and Fate of Sacrilege" for the press; after which he appears to have obtained a recognised character for ability and learning, as we shortly after find him assisting Dr. Grabe in some of his learned works. In 1699 he took his B.A. degree, and at this time had an offer from Bishop White Kennett of an appointment to Maryland, if he would enter into holy orders; but this he declined, for independent of his aversion for orders, he was now privileged to enter Bodley's Library, where he was to be found from the time it opened till the time of closing. This diligence, and the knowledge he had of books, brought him under the notice of Dr. Hudson, who in 1701 was elected library keeper, and he, with the curators' consent, appointed Mr. Hearne assistant-keeper. At this time the library was in a state of great confusion, but as soon as Hearne was settled at his post he began to put the books in order, comparing every book with the old catalogue, and preparing a new one, which was afterwards printed. He next turned his attention to the MSS., and afterwards to the Catalogue of Coins. Act Term, 1703, he took the degree of M.A., and was offered a chaplaincy at Christ Church, but he again declined entering into holy orders, as he also did on several other occasions when preferment was held out to him.

In

We now reach the year 1705, when the diary begins. Hearne's practice seems to have been to have one of these little volumes constantly in his pocket, and when anything occurred which he considered noteworthy, to jot it down as may be expected, therefore, the volumes present a very curious medley of facts and opinions, many of the latter being distorted by the medium through which Hearne viewed every object. The first entry is:

"1705. July 4, Vettius Valens collected his Anthologia from divers old authors now lost, which makes it so much more valuable. Dr. Bernard transcribed part of it

for Huetius, who promised to print the whole work at Paris: but what hindered him I know not.

"Mr. William Joyner told me that Mr. Selden writ the Life of Fryer Bacon, but he cannot tell me where 'tis now. At the same time he gave large encomiums of

Mr. Milton, but denies that he died a Papist."

The MS. of Vettius Valens is among Selden's books in the Bodleian, and appears to have formerly belonged to Dr. John Dee. Milton's religion forms the subject of another entry :—

"1706. Sept. 16. Dr. Hudson has often enquired of Mr. Joyner, who was intimately acquainted with Mr. Milton, whether the said Mr. Milton dyed a papist or no? To which Mr. Joyner constantly replyed, that he was sure he did not. Yet for all this 'tis credibly reported that Sir Christopher Milton, his brother, made a judge in king James's reign, declared publickly in company, that his brother died a papist, and had lived in that communion for above ten years before. For further satisfaction about this, consult a sermon printed by Dr. Binks, now dean of Lichfield, which was preached at the assize at Warwick."

The curiosity respecting Milton's religious opinions probably arose from his not attending divine service for some years preceding his death in 1674. Another subject of curiosity to Hearne and to many others, and indeed one which has never been satisfactorily settled, is that of the authorship of "The Whole Duty of Man:" on this we have the following long entry :

"1706. Aug. 5. There is come into the publick library the original MS. of The Causes of the Decay of Christian Piety, written by the author of the Whole Duty of Man. The donor, Mr. Keble, a bookseller in London, near Temple-bar. Dr. Aldrich, dean of Christ Church, has been shewed the book to know whether he could tell the hand. He replied, that he was of opinion that 'twas not the author's own hand, but copyed by Bishop Fell with a disguised hand. I have carefully examined it, and find Bishop Fell's hand in several places; which I know to be his from its being exactly the same with what I have seen of his hand before. Particularly in the title-page, The Causes of the Decay of Christian Piety is added by him, in room of Duty Lost in Disobedience, which is struck out; there is also struck out A Practical Treatise, written by the Author, and for it only added, written by the Author. Indeed, by comparing these hands together, they will appear to be the same, by the turn of the letters; though we cannot from hence gather that Bishop Fell was the author. Nor, indeed, do I think he was; it seeming rather to have been a club of learned and pious persons, such as the bishop, Dr. Hammond, the Lady Packington, &c.

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Happening to shew Mr. Barnes the MS. copy above mentioned, of the Decay of Christian Piety, he presently told me that he had a paper written with Archbishop Sancroft's own hand, which he thought resembled very much the hand of the said book. This he brought the next day, and comparing it with the book, we found several letters written the same way, the same distance as to lines, &c. And accordingly we concluded that they were done by the same person; and what confirms this is, that Mr. Barnes says, that formerly talking with Dr. Holbeach, master of Eman. Coll. (of which Archbishop Sancroft had been fellow, and afterwards master,) the Doctor told him, that making a visit once to Dr. Sancroft (he thinks) before the Restauration, he happened to see some papers written by Dr. Sancroft, which he would take his oath were part of what was afterwards printed under the title of The Whole Duty of Man. Nothing can be objected against his being the author, if his extraordinary piety, learning, eloquence, and modesty be considered."

Sales of books by auction, and matters connected with the bookselling trade, form the subjects of several entries. Spelman's library would necessarily be of interest to Hearne, in consequence of his early work on one of Spelman's MSS.:

"1709. Nov. 13. On the twenty-seventh instant will be sold by auction, at London, the library of the famous Sir Henry Spelman, together with the library of Sir Edmund King, M.D. In this collection, besides several curious books in all the faculties, are

three score MSS. of Sir Edmund King's, and about two hundred of Sir Henry Spelman's; which MSS. of Sir Henry Spelman are said to be ancient, and most curiously written and embellished."

In 1712, upon the death of Mr. Crabb, Hearne succeeded him as second keeper of the Bodleian, retaining also the post of Janitor, as by keeping the keys he was enabled to have free access to the library. This appears to have given offence in some quarters, but most offence was given by a preface to Mr. Dodwell's Dissertatione de Parma Equestri Woodwardiana, in which Hearne spoke of Dodwell as one of those conscientious, good men who thought it a sin to transfer their allegiance, (" ex illis viris esset probis, qui fidem, rege per juramentum datam, violare nefas esse ducerent,") and called his discourse upon the new oath of fealty and allegiance, aureas tractatus. Another ground of complaint was, that he said that vir quidam mediocris eruditionis had written two books in vindication of Dodwell's views, but in order to obtain preferment had afterwards changed his opinions. The person thus slightingly mentioned was Thomas Milles, Vice-Principal of Edmund Hall, afterwards Bishop of Waterford. The heads of houses suppressed the book, of which Hearne had distributed forty-three copies, but afterwards allowed him to dispose of the remainder on cancelling the preface and printing a new title. The order drawn up on this occasion is a curiosity, on account of the blunders it contains. After reciting the title of the work, it proceeds :

"Printed without leave in which there are several offensive expressions, be suppressed; and the said Mr. Hearne is hereby forbidden to sell or any otherwise disperse or dispose of the said Book under the Penalty of the Statutes."

He, however, would not retract what had been said.

Hearne was strongly attached to the Stuart family, and very few pages of his diary can we turn over without finding some reference to them or their opponents: of the reigning family he always spoke in the most contemptuous manner, and must have chuckled to himself at the opportunity for making such an entry as the following:

"1729. Nov. 1. The present dutchess of Brunswick, commonly call'd queen Caroline, is a very proud woman, and pretends to great subtlety and cunning. She drinks so hard, that her spirits are continually inflam'd, and she is often drunk. This last summer she went away from Orkney-house, near Maidenhead (at which she had dined), so drunk that she spew'd in the coach all her journey as she went along, a thing much noted."

As Hearne made no secret of his opinions, and they were at variance with those of the "dons" of his day, he contrived to make a considerable number of enemies; for although elected "Architypographus" and superior beadle, by a large majority over his competitor Mr. Terry, the numbers being 179 to 78, the Vice-chancellor put a common printer into his place, and Dr. Hudson complained to the visitors that the office of under-librarian and beadle were inconsistent: upon this, Hearne resigned the latter. Dr. Hudson, not satisfied, had new keys made to the doors of the library, so that Hearne could not get in as heretofore, but he continued to act as librarian whenever he had the opportunity till Jan. 23, 1716, when he desisted, on account of his unwillingness to take the oaths appointed by act of Parliament to be taken by all office-holders, under a penalty of £500. Of the proceedings attending his expulsion from the library, we have the following account in a letter which he addressed to his friend Mr. Rawlinson :

"On Friday, March 2d. last, (1715,) the Visitors of the library met, being called together by Dr. Hudson, who had declared almost a year before that I should be turned