length (vide "Anthol." lib. 7), and there is some account of it too in Bonhours.

What, however, is much more extraordinary, is that the famous Tristram Shandy itself is not absolutely original; for when I was at Derby in the summer of 1744, I strolled by mere chance into a bookseller's shop, where however I could find nothing to tempt curiosity but a strange book about Corporal Bates, which I bought and read for want of better sport, and found it to be the very novel from which Sterne took his first idea. The character of Uncle Toby, the behaviour of Corporal Trim, even the name of Tristram itself, seems to be borrowed from this stupid history of Corporal Bates, forsooth. I now wish I had pursued Mr. Murphy's advice of marking down all passages from different books which strike, by their resemblance to each other, as fast as they fell in my way; for one forgets again in the hurry and tumult of life's cares and pleasures, almost everything that one does not commit to paper.

The verses written by Bentley upon Learning, and published in Dodsley's Miscellanies, how like they are to Evelyn's verses on Virtue, published in Dryden's Miscellanies! yet I do not suppose them a plagiarism. Old Bentley would have scorned such tricks; besides, what passed once between myself and Mr. Johnson should cure me of suspicion in these cases.

89

MARGINAL NOTES ON WRAXALL'S "HISTORICAL MEMOIRS OF MY OWN TIME."

Í SEND Wraxall with the quartos, that you may read something written of your poor friend as well as something written by her. His book will be a relief when you get into the dark ages of "Retrospection." - Mrs. Piozzi to Sir James Fellowes.

Her note on Wraxall's statement relating to Marie Antoinette's first confinement is:

but you

You see how cautious Sir N. Wraxall is may likewise see through his caution. He knew no doubt better than myself, that about this time a swathed baby made of white marble was laid at the bed chamber door with this inscription:

"Je ne suis point de Cire subintelligitur Sire — Je suis de pierre-subintelligitur Pierre."

A Life-Guard Man as I was informed.*

*Recent and impartial history favours the belief in Marie Antoinette's personal purity; but her indiscretion was of a nature to give rise to the coarsest scandal amongst a people whose loyalty was rapidly declining into a diametrically opposite train of feelings. In the following epigram the speakers are the Queen and Mlle. d'Oliva, the courtesan who personated her Majesty in the affair of the Diamond Necklace:

"Vile espèce, ose tu bien
Jouer le rôle d'une reine?
Pourquoi non, ma Souveraine,
Vous jouez souvent le mien."

The Dauphin, who died very young, and the other, who lived to suffer still more whom every one pities,

are mentioned in the 2nd vol., but I can't find the place now. Ils étoient vrais Descendans de Louis XIV., mais comment? Juste Ciel!

In reference to Wraxall's description of the celebrated women of the day, she has pasted in copies of the following verses:

THE PLANETS.

(Said to be written by Charles Fox.)*
With Devon's girl so blythe and gay,
I well could like to sport and play;
With Jersey would the time beguile,
With Melbourne titter, sneer and smile,
With Bouverie one would wish to sin,
With Damer I could only grin :
But to them all I'd bid adieu,

To pass my life and think with Crewe.

THE PLEIADES.

(Said to be written by Mr. Chamberlayne, who threw himself out of the window.)

With charming Cholmondeley well one might

Pass half the day, and all the night;
From Montague's more fertile mind
Perpetual source of pleasures find:

*In the Album at Crewe Hall.

Of Tully's Latin, Homer's Greek,
With learned Carter one could speak;
With Thrale converse in purest ease,
Of letters, life, and languages.

But if I dare to talk with Crewe,
My ease, my peace, my heart adieu !

Sweet Greville!* whose too feeling heart
By love was once betrayed,
With Sappho's ardour, Sappho's art,
For cool indifference prayed:
Who can endure a prayer from you

So selfish and confined?

You should when you produced a Crewe,

Have prayed for all mankind.

The verses on Henrietta de Coligny, Comtesse de la Suze, are quoted by Wraxall:

Quæ Dea sublimi vehitur per inania curru ?

An Juno, an Pallas, an Venus ipsa venit?

Si genus inspicias, Juno: si scripta, Minerva :
Si spectes oculos, Mater Amoris erit.

They are thus paraphrased in a marginal note by Mrs. Piozzi :

Her birth examined, Juno we discern,

Her learning, not Minerva's self denies :
From such perfections dazzled should I turn,

But that Love's mother laughs in both her eyes.

Mrs. Greville, author of the "Ode to Indifference," mother of Mrs. Crewe.

Note.

When the King of Sweden was murdered in a ballroom, by Ankerstroom, about the year 1792, there was a comically impudent caricature published representing George the Third, with a letter in his hand and a label out of his mouth, saying, What, what, what! Shot, shot, shot!

"The last Princess of the Stuart line who reigned in this country, has been accused of a similar passion (for drink), if we may believe the secret history of that time, or trust to the couplet which was affixed to the pedestal of her statue in front of St. Paul's, by the satirical wits of 1714."-Wraxall.

Note.-Brandy-faced Nan has left us in the lurch,
Her face to the brandy shop, and her

to the church.

VERSES ON CATHERINE OF RUSSIA.

Elle fit oublier par un esprit sublime
D'un pouvoir odieux les énormes abus;
Et sur un trône acquis par le crime
Elle se maintint par les vertus.

Her dazzling reign so brightly shone

Few sought to mark the crimes they courted; Whilst on her ill acquired throne,

She sate by virtue's self supported.

"The Countess Cowper was at this time distinguished by his (the Grand Duke Leopold's) attachment; and the exertion of his interest with Joseph the Second his brother, procured her husband, Lord Cowper, to be