information has been derived. The several articles, to which the letter A is subscribed, were collected by him in the course of a visit which he paid to the United States of America; of these, a few were culled from the public journals of that interesting country, and others were kindly communicated to him by private friends. Of the Letters of the Earl of Rochester, it may be proper to observe, that some of them have been already made public in a periodical journal; though printed very incorrectly. To shew the many amiable features, which it does appear distinguished the domestic character of a man, who has hitherto been known only as a great wit and a great libertine, the Editor thought that a selection from the relics of his correspondence was required, not only more discriminative, but more authentic, than has yet been published. All the letters here given have accordingly been carefully collated with the originals preserved in the British Museum. In the course of the volume, there will be found several other unpublished letters which have been transcribed from the originals. Although, as already stated, the RELICS OF LITERATURE consist chiefly of gleanings from the works of others, with illustrations and explanatory notices, the Editor would be wanting in ingenuousness, did he not avow his responsibility for some few original articles. To these, however, it is unnecessary more particularly to call the attention of the Reader their Author will feel the extent of his ambition gratified, should their worth be such as not to make their number either remarked or regretted. CONTENTS. The First English Catalogue-On the Compilation of English Catalogues in general Pennyless Parliament of Threadbare Poets; a curious Black-letter Tract Madrigal, by Lodge; not in Ellis's Specimens Massinger, Field, and Daborne Original Story of King Lear A Melancholy Fancy, by Dr. Sineroes; from the Lansdown MSS. Page 1 The Rights of Waters, an Apologue; after the manner of Paine's "Rights of Man" 42 Letters of the Earl and Countess of Rochester, and Duke of Buckingham Rochester and Charles the Second (Letter from Waller to St. Evremond) Epitaph for Rare Ben; by Mildmay Fane, Earl of Westmoreland 75 |