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Amongst other proofs of Mr. Lethieullier's attention to antiquarian pursuits, may be mentioned

three-fourths of an inch square, within which were several ornaments, and in the middle the figure of a man riding upon some beast, and holding something in his hand; but, as he opened it only in a hurry, and in different places, he was able to give no better account of it. There was then found a silver coin, but of what Emperor I have not been able to learn, and one of the small brass of Valens, DN VALENS PF AVG; Reverse, SECVRITAS REIPVB; Exergue, LVG. P.; now in my possession; which are all the coins or other antiquities that were ever found at this place, at least to my knowledge. I have frequently visited it (once I think with you, when you favoured me with your company at Aldersbrook), and have found not only many of the aforesaid tessere, but several pieces of large Roman brick, some hollowed, probably for gutters. This pavement was situated on a gentle gravelly ascent toward the North, and at a small distance from the South end of it I remember a well of exceeding fine water, now absorbed in a great pond. From this well the ground rises likewise toward the South till it comes to a plain, which extends a considerable way, and is now my warren; but by tradition was once covered with wood. On the brink of this very plain, and about 300 yards due South from the said well and pavement, there were in my memory the ruins of foundations to be seen, though now destroyed by planting trees round the park pales; the mounds about them having been since levelled, has raised the ground very much. The place where this antiquity was discovered is a part, as I said before, of Earl Tylney's park, which lies on the South side of his gardens, and is bounded to the South by my estate at Aldersbrook, a part of which it was, till King Henry VIII. inclosed it within his newmade park, as the words in his grant to my predecessors express. As it both is and probably ever was a retired corner, no vestigia of camps, roads, or other Roman antiquities near it, this pavement can hardly be presumed to have been the floor of a prætorium, or a Roman general's tent, as many of them doubtless were. Will it bear the face of a tolerable conjecture, therefore, that the aforesaid ruins were the foundations of a Roman villa, the retirement perhaps of some inhabitant of Londinum, which is scarce six miles distant; or of Durolitum, which is hardly three, if Low Leyton be allowed to have been that station? The soil thereabout is dry and inviting, the opening to the South, and directly opposite to Shooter's-hill in Kent, very agreeable and pleasing. The aforementioned spring or well might perhaps induce the owner to make a walk or garden down to it, and the pavement be of the banqueting-house, or room for entertainments, which terminated his view. luxuries of this nature were introduced into Britain will not, I believe, be denied. But I fear I go too far with my conjectures and your patience; perhaps the Natale Salum prevails; and the VOL. V.

BB

That

fancy

a Letter to Mr. Gale, in 1735, on the Icening Street, and other Roman Roads in England; Archæologia, vol. I. p. 56. Another Letter to Mr. Gale, in 1736, relating to the Shrine of St. Hugh, the crucified Child, at Lincoln; Ibid. p. 26. A Letter to Mr. G. Vertue, in 1746, relating to some Antiquities at Bordeaux in France; ibid. p. 73. Observations on Sepulchral Monuments, in a Letter to James West, esq.; ibid. vol. II. p. 291. An Account of the Burning of the Steeple at Danbury by Lightning, 1749; Phil. Trans. vol. XLVI. p. 611.

He married, Feb. 5, 1725-6, Margaret*, daughter of William Sloper, esq. of Woodhay, Berks; but died without issue; and is thus noticed on an elegant tomb at Little Ilford:

"In memory of SMART LETHIEULLIER, esq.
a gentleman of polite literature and elegant taste;
an encourager of art and ingenious artists;
a studious promoter of literary enquiries;
a companion, and a friend, of learned men ;
judiciously versed in the study of Antiquity,

and richly possessed of the curious productions of Nature:
But who modestly desired no other Inscription on his Tomb
than what he had made the Rule of his Life;
To do justly, to love mercy,

and to walk humbly with his God.
He was born Nov. 3, 1701;

and deceased, without issue, Aug. 27, 1760."

The following eloge was written, by the late Mr. Collinson, immediately after the death of Mr. Smart Lethieullier: "He was descended from an antient family which fled from France in time of persecution, and a gentleman every way eminent for his excellent endowments. His desire to improve in the civil

fancy that a situation and country I love was approved as pleasant 1200 years ago, may be the only foundation of these conjectures. I submit this, and every thing else, to your superior judgment; and beg you would suppress or communicate it to the Society, which you think most proper; being, Sir,

"Your most humble servant, SMART LETHIEULLIER." See the Archæologia, vol. I. p. 73, for another letter on the abave v subject, from Mr. Lethieullier to Dr. Lyttelton, wherein thus Letter is referred to.

* This lady died June 19, 1753, æt. 45.

and

and natural history of his country, led him to visit all parts of it. The Itineraries in his library, and the discoveries he made relating to its antiquities, with drawings of every thing remarkable, are evidences of his great application to rescue so many antient remains from mouldering in oblivion. His happy turn of mind was not confined solely to antiquities; but in these journeys he was indefatigable in collecting all the variety of English fossils, with a view to investigate their origin. This great collection, which excels most others, is deposited in two large cabinets, disposed under their proper classes. The most rare are elegantly drawn, and disposed in a folio book, with his observations on them. As the variety of antient marbles had engaged his attention, and he found so little said on them with respect to. their natural history, it was one of his motives in visiting Italy, to furnish himself with such materials as he was able to procure from books, and learned men, relating to them. He collected specimens of the most curious, and had drawings, finely painted, of the most remarkable monuments of the antient marbles; these are bound up in a folio volume, with all the observations he could gather relating to their natural history and antiquity. His cabinet of medals, his collection of antiquities of various kinds, and most elegant books of the finest engravings, are instances of the fine taste with which he has enriched his library and cabinet with the spoils of Italy. This short, but imperfect memoir, is candidly offered as a tribute due to a long friendship. It is wished it may excite an abler pen to do more justice to the memory of this great and good man. But it is humbly hoped that these hints will be accepted, not only as a testimony of respect, but may also inform an inquisitive genius in these branches of science where he may be assisted with such valuable materials for the prosecution of his future studies. P. C."

Mr. Lethieullier's library was sold by auction, 1760. He was succeeded in his estates, to which he had added the manor of Birch-Hall in Theydon Bois,

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by Mary*, only daughter of his next brother, Charles Lethieullier, LL. D. fellow of All Souls College, F.A. S. and counsellor-at-law, who died Dec. 10, 1759, æt. 41.

His cousin, Colonel William Lethieullier, who was also F. A. S. travelled into Egypt, and brought over a very perfect mummy, described by Mr. Gordon, in a tract mentioned in p. 336, and now in the British Museum, with most of the Colonel's collections, the rest having been in Mr. Smart Lethieullier's hands. A Committee of the Trustees waited on the Colonel's Executors, February 23, 1756, to return thanks for a valuable legacy of a fine mummy, and a curious collection of English antiquities. On this occasion Pitt Lethieullier, esq. nephew to the Colonel, presented them with several antiquities, which he himself had collected during his residence in Grand Cairo.

JOHN LOCKER, esq. barrister-at-law, commissioner of bankrupts, and clerk of the companies of Leathersellers and Clockmakers, was the son of Mr. Locker†, a scrivener in the Old Jewry. He is styled by Dr. Ward, "a gentleman much esteemed for his knowledge of polite literature;" and by Dr. Johnson, "a gentleman eminent for curiosity and literature §." He was remarkable for his skill in the Greek language, particularly the modern, of

* Married to Edward Hulse, esq the eldest son of Sir Edward Hulse.

+ Who had been elected Clerk of the Leathersellers' Company Aug. 21, 1700; the place then being worth 2001. a year.

To whom Mr. Locker had communicated a collection of examples selected by Addison from the writings of Tillotson, with an intention of making an English Dictionary. See Johnson's Life of Addison.

The following epitaph was written by Mr. Locker:
Hoc marmor contra, propè exuvias matris,
suas etiam voluit deponi

Freston Rant, de hospitio Greyensi, armiger.
Cum illo juvene sepeliuntur una
exemplar amicitiæ jucundum,

urbana morum comitas,

et placere ditissima facetiarum vena."

Coming

which he became master by accident. home late one evening, he was addressed in modern Greek by a poor Greek priest, a man of literature, from the Archipelago, who had lost his way in the streets of London. He took him to his house; where he and Dr. Mead jointly maintained him some years, and by him was perfected in that language, so as to write it fluently; and had translated a part, if not the whole, of one of Congreve's Comedies, into Greek. He married Elizabeth, eldest daughter of Dr. Stillingfleet; and died a widower, much respected, May 29, 1760, aged 67. In the preface to the complete edition of Bacon's Works, by Dr. Birch and Mr. Mallet, in 5 volumes, 4to, 1765, the advantages of that edition above all the preceding ones are said to be "chiefly owing to two gentlemen now deceased, Robert Stephens esq. Historiographer Royal, and John Locker, esq. fellow of the Society of Antiquaries; both of whom had made a particular study of Lord Bacon's writings, and a great object of their industry the correcting from original or authentic manuscripts, and the earliest and best editions, whatever of his works had been already published, and adding to them such, as could be recovered, that had never seen the light." Mr. Stephens dying in November 1732, his papers came into the hands of Mr. Locker, whose death prevented the world from enjoying the fruits of his labours, though he had actually finished his correction of the fourth volume of Mr. Blackburne's edition, containing the Law-tracts, Letters, &c. After his decease, his collections, including those of Mr. Stephens, were purchased by Dr. Birch.

WILLIAM LOCKER, esq. eldest son of Mr. John Locker, entered early into the Royal Navy. The spotless excellence of this gentleman's character would alone entitle him to the notice of the Biographer. While distinguished by good natural parts,

* Of whom see vol. II. p. 51.

by

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