"DEAR SIR, Trinity College, June 18, 1739. "I received the favour of yours yesterday, and return thanks for your trouble in my affairs; but cannot prevail with myself to recede from my former resolution, by selling the copies at an under-rate to the booksellers. I have reduced the number to a much less compass than you think of, and perhaps may want hereafter some to make presents of to my friends. I should be glad to know what number remains in your hands, and desire you to send them down by Godfrey's waggon, for I will give my friends no further trouble in soliciting to dispose of them. I received a kind letter lately from Lord Craven, who has heard of my being a sufferer by it, desiring to know in what manner he might be serviceable to me, and whether particularly by recommending the pamphlet to the gentlemen in the neighbourhood of the White Horse; so that I expect a call for a good number from that quarter. I cannot say that I have repented much of publishing it; but perhaps may have cause hereafter, if it be true what a friend lately whispered to me, that there is a person who has undertaken to answer it, and who sets the antiquity of the Horse much higher than I do.' If he writes like a gentleman and a scholar, I shall be satisfied, though he should prove me to be in the wrong; for I am not bigoted to an opinion in defiance of truth. This piece of news you need not mention as from me. Innys, though he pretended ignorance, knew very well the price, for he had applied before to my Printer; and I could have disposed of a great number upon the same terms to the booksellers of Oxford. Pray be so good, since you will not permit me to wait upon you at Oxford, as to let me hear from you as soon as conveniently you can. In the mean time believe me, dear Sir, "Your obliged humble humble servant, FRAN. WISE." To Mr. JOSEPH AMES. 66 SIR, Trinity College, Oxon, Oct. 9, 1740. "I received your letter, with another inclosed from Mr. Ducarel, together with your List of Printers enlarged, and which I had received before from Mr. Hunt. I wish I could add any names of Printers to it, or be otherwise assistant to you in your work; but I have consulted my papers, and find nothing but what has been taken notice of before by Dr. Middleton and others; only I think I once met with, in my reading, the name of one of our oldest Printers amongst others, who was said to have set up printing at St. Alban's, and whom at the time of reading I took to be the Schoolmaster; and, if I remember right, it was different from Hertford, who I think is the only one mentioned by you. I did not make a memoradum of this; but it was in some English book, and perhaps has not escaped your notice. We give up the point concerning the antiquity of Rufinus; but if you compare the types of that book and Ægidius Romanus,' with those of Theodoric Roode, you will find them very different, and of a printer predecessor to Roode at Oxford, and who this should be, unless Frederick Corsellis, I cannot tell. I think there is a gentle man's man's family of that name, not far from London, which pretends: to be derived from the printer; and, if I remember right, is said to have some records or traditions relating to him. "Mr. Wood* has collected every thing that could be found relating to the origin of Printing with us, and I am not able to add any thing to his account. We have in the Bodleian Library great numbers of old English printed books, which perhaps might contribute something to your design; and I wish your affairs would permit you to come down and consult them, for it will be impossible for another person to say what will be for your purpose, especially if that person should have his hands full of other business at the same time, which is really the case of "Your most obedient humble servant, FRANCIS WISE." To A. C. DUCAREL, Esq. "DEAR SIR, Nov. 18, 1742. 'I received both your letters, and am obliged to you for them; but the last containing Mr. Birch's calculations is of no use to me. I know the difference of Oxford and London Printing, and it is not a great deal; but when you and I talked about the expences of my pamphlet, I reckoned every thing that it has cost me except my labour, according to the following account : Journies to such a place A Limner such a time Engravings - Paper "I was forced to make so many journies to the White Horse, that, with travelling with a servant and painter, it cost me near 201. I could have spent as much about the Cross, but thought I should have but little thanks for it; though I believe I could have settled its age and meaning thereby with greater exactness than I have done. But let others pursue the enquiry; it is enough for me that I have shewn the monument. I am, &c. F. WISE.' "DEAR SIR, Oxon, Jan. 7, 1742-3. "I have begun printing my pamphlet† at all adventures, but am like to come to no terms with the booksellers. Fletcher insists upon having the fourth part of the whole price for his profit, and says no bookseller will do it under; but this I shall never submit to. I only propose to reimburse myself the expence I shall be at, and to have a few copies to give away to friends, strangers, and foreigners, who come to visit the University. I have printed but little more than half the number I printed last time, and propose to sell only 300 copies. The whole expence * Thomas Wood, Mr. Wise's Printer at Oxford. "Further Observations on the White Horse, &c. 1742," 4to.-Mr. Wise's first pamphlet was rudely and sillily animadverted upon in "The Impertinence and Imposture of modern Antiquaries displayed," &c. by the Rev. Mr. Asplin, Vicar of Banbury, with a Preface by Mr. Bumpsted, of Upton; to which an able Reply was given by the Rev. George North, Rector of Coddicote, in "An Answer to a scandalous Libel, intituled, "The Impertinence," &c. that that I shall have been at when the book is printed will be about two or three and thirty pounds; so that you will see, by dealing with the booksellers, I must be 101. out of pocket. My friends, therefore, I hope, will excuse me, if I give them the trouble of saving me harmless, since the thing was chiefly intended for their entertainment. If yourself and Mr. Vertue, Dr. Jenner, Mr. West, &c. can get off for me about 60 or 70 at your end of the town, I do not fear making myself whole, for I know it will run like wild-fire at Oxford. If each Member of your Society could be prevailed with to take one, this would forward the sale wonderfully. However this be, I hope you will excuse me, if I lodge such a number of copies with you to be disposed of; or, if it be inconvenient for you, I will endeavour to get some other friend. Since I saw you, I have been tormented with returns of the gout and tooth-ache alternately, which has hindered me very much in my business, so that the pamphlet will not be published so soon as I intended. I am, dear Sir, yours, &c. FRANCIS WISE." Feb. 4, 1742-3. "DEAR SIR, "I received the favour of yours of the 1st instant, and endeavoured immediately to find out what became of Mr. Lydal's books, who died about a year ago in the country. I found Fletcher bought them; but he tells me there was no such book as you mention, only a late Edition of Hudibras in 24mo. 3 vols. I will enquire further when I can learn who was his executor; but I vehemently suspect the Doctor was mis-informed. We had ill luck in the Almanack of our College, Dr. Butler, the then ViceChancellor, having been disgusted at something or other, would not let our friend Vertue do it; so that we were but poorly off. The subject is Dr. Bathurst's refusing the mitre, which he is said to have done more than once. Sheldon of Canterbury seems to make him a tender of it: next to him is Adams, Bishop of Limerick: the third, Wright of Litchfield, both Fellows of the College, taken from paintings in the President's lodgings; but all miserably done. The others ad libitum Pictoris. "Mr. Lye's book will be finished this Spring. Sir Thomas Hanmer's plates are to be drawn off in London under his own inspection. My pamphlet is stitching up with all expedition, and I shall send you two parcels by Godfrey's waggon; in one of the parcels will be inclosed a parcel of 20 for Mr. Willis, who will then be in town, and I suppose you will see him. I shall inclose two or three presents upon a finer paper, which I must beg you to order your servant to deliver. I shall send you only 50, which I hope you will find no great difficulty in disposing of; and this will be the last time I shall trouble my friends with any thing of this sort. With my compliments to all friends, I am, dear Sir, "Yours, &c. FRANCIS WISE." Of the Rev. Edward Lye see the "Literary Anecdotes," vol. VII. pp. 240, 620.—The work Mr. Wise here notices was the "Etymologicon magnum," of Francis Junius, from a MS. of the Author in the Bodleian Library; to which Mr. Lye prefixed an Anglo-Saxon Grammar. "DEAR "DEAR SIR, Wroxton, Feb. 13, 1742-3. "I find that Mr. Willis is detained in the country with rheumatism; I must therefore beg you to send the parcel to him in the country, and pay the carriage, placing it to my account. I suppose his bookseller, or any body almost, knows how to direct a parcel to him. As to advertising, I only go by experience; for if I was to tell you how few of my former pamphlets were sold, except what my friends undertook to dispose of, you would be not a little surprised. It is incredible what mischief the booksellers are capable of doing to an author, by discountenancing the sale of his book. However, as I print without any view to profit, I am not very solicitous about the event, and the zeal of my friends gives me but little doubt of disposing of 300, which was the number printed for sale. I forgot to desire you to give one copy to the Society; and I must beg you to send one to Professor Ward at Gresham, whom I forgot, as a present from me. Excuse this trouble from, Sir, "Your obliged humble servant, FRANCIS WISE." "DEAR SIR, Wroxton, Feb. 27, 1742-3. "I am infinitely obliged to you for the trouble you take in my affair, and beg you to excuse my not answering your letter of the 12th, for I had retired from Oxford for a little while to avoid the Critick's din; and since that a College Parsonage has dropped, which has engaged all my time and thoughts. It is the worst in our College's gift; but, I fear, if I do not take it, that I may be confined to a College life many years longer, which at this time of day is not very agreeable to me. I have been inured to illfortune all my life-time, which makes me submit to this with the greater patience. “I am sensible of many neglects that I have been guilty of to friends, and indeed it was impossible to be otherwise. The expence of printing the pamphlet was so very great, that I must have been a sufferer in the highest degree. As my acquaintance is chiefly among Antiquaries, and pretty universal in that respect, I might have given away the whole impression in presents. If Mr. Holmes had occurred to my thoughts at that time, I believe I should have begged his acceptance of one of them; but it is now too late to make any compliments of that sort. I forgot one that I was under more obligations to, viz. Sir Andrew Fountaine; and if you can conveniently send one to him, I wish it might yet be done. Mr. Willis came lately to Oxford; and though we both want to see each other, yet he contrived to come on a day when he knew I must be necessarily out of town. I should be glad to hear whether he has received his parcel or not. I depend upon your usual good-nature to excuse all this trouble from, dear Sir, your obliged humble servant, FRANCIS WISE." "DEAR SIR, March 10, 1742-3. You have had a deal of trouble in my affair, and I shall always own myself infinitely obliged to you for it. I thank you for your congratulations upon my accepting a College Living*, though I question whether the clear income of it is greater than *Rotherfield Greys in Oxfordshire. that that of my Fellowship. However, it releases me from a College life, which at this time of day is not so very agreeable. "I was desired some time ago by a friend to get him one of our College Almanacks, but could not then procure one amongst all my acquaintance. However, I will try again. I might have had, could I have kept them, an entire set of the Colleges upon the best paper; but I foolishly gave them away to friends who did not know the value of them, and they are now defaced or destroyed. I believe I can serve you in the print of the College Chapel, for the plate is in being, and I believe in my custody. If I can find it, I will secure you one of the Cross. I likewise put Professor Bliss in a way to get you one of the new plates of Pembroke College, by Burghers, dedicated to Bishop Hall, the Master. I believe you never saw it, nor I myself till the other day at the printing-house, where some were drawing off for the College use. I will trouble you with half a score of my former pamphlets, and will send them by the coach to-morrow. I should be glad to truck the remaining copies of my pamphlets with any bookseller in London at a reasonable price, for books which he has and I shall want. I have remaining about an hundred of each pamphlet. If you find any booksellers willing to take them upon those terms, I should be obliged to you if you would send me a list of some of his folios, which you think we may want at Oxford (and we want a great many, God knows, especially of new printed books); and if they are set at a fair price, I will allow him to get something both ways in the truck; I mean both by my books and his own. I have the satisfaction to hear that my last painphlet is pretty well received by the curious, so that I think a bookseller will run no very great risk in disposing of them. Your obliged humble servant, FRANCIS WISE." "DEAR SIR, Trinity College, Nov. 27, 1750. "Your last letter bears date a month ago, and I am heartily ashamed of not having answered it sooner. I do not mean to give you much trouble about getting subscriptions; only, if you know of any persons that are willing to take a copy of the book* when printed, I should be glad to know their names as soon as conveniently may be done; for, as I have done more to the book than I designed at first, I believe I shall find some booksellers that deal abroad, who will be willing to come up to the subscription price, or pretty near it. I must be out of pocket by it, but I hope not a great deal; and as to my time and trouble, I never grudged it the publick. I shall have near threescore copper-plates, great and small, in my book, which ought to enhance the price. I am sure it has cost me near 2001. in that article. If I sell the copies to a bookseller, the price will consequently be raised to the purchaser near half; and if only 100 copies are sent abroad, I believe the book will still keep up to the bookseller's price. I have done in a manner with my en "Catalogus Nummorum Antiquorum in Srciniis Bodleianis reconditorum, cum Commentariis, 1750," fol. graver, |