"HEPI AIOON, de Lapidibus, Poema Orpheo

trifling and uninteresting; but to such as have property or connexions in the County, the same things may be amusing, if not useful and instructive: and it must always be remembered that a County Historian is, by profession, a dealer in small ware."

The second volume appeared in 1784, without a Preface, but thus inscribed: "To the rising Generation of his Countrymen, the Heirs and Hopes of many antient and noble Families in the County of Worcester, this Volume is respectfully addressed by the Compiler; and with it his most ardent and affectionate wishes, that principles of prudence, virtue, and religion, early imbibed and resolutely retained, may form them to a steadiness and consistency of conduct: that, by a provident management of their revenues, equally distant from avarice and vain expence, they may secure the influence due to their birth and fortune; an influence never yet acquired by profusion, and by vice unavoidably forfeited. May a careful cultivation of their talents, and confirmed habits of self-government, render them superior to false pleasures or imaginary wants, and qualify them to dignify a public station; to become active and impartial Magistrates; useful and unbiassed Senators; or, in the tranquillity of humbler privacy, to be kind landlords, hospitable neighbours, and worthy country gentlemen. May they contemplate the pattern displayed by him whom the unanimous voice of the Province hath called to preside at their judicial proceedings*! may they copy his domestic and his public virtues may they be wise, honoured, and happy! From attention to so shining an example, many amiable characters are hoped for in the next age; and the Editor of this Book with pleasing expectation looks forward to that period of his wishes, which will be the delight of his declining years, and still further endear to him his native County."-" It is needless," Dr. Nash adds, in his vol. II. p. clv. "to say much of the Church of Worcester, its history having been wrote, and the monuments described, by Dr. Thomas, and Mr. Valentine Green."

In 1793 Dr. Nash published a splendid edition of " Hudibras," with Notes, in three volumes 4to; a work which reflects great honour on his learning and his taste; though of the Notes he has himself too modestly said, that "they were intended to render Hudibras more intelligible to persons of the Commentator's level, men of middling capacity and limited information.-Some apo. logy," observes the worthy Editor, " may be necessary, when a person advanced in years, and without the proper qualifications, shall undertake to publish and comment upon one of the most ingenious Writers in our language."-" Granted," observe the Monthly Reviewers; "but neither the itch of picture in the front, nor the Notes which follow, will justify the extension of

R. Lygon, Esq. then Chairman of the Quarter Sessions; created a Peer, in February 1806, by the title of Lord Beauchamp of Maddersfield, Wor gestershire.

à quibusdam adscriptum, Græcè et Latinè, ex edi

this remark to himself. With whatever modesty and concealment of name he may bring forward his edition of Hudibras, his Portrait has none of the wrinkles of age; nor do his Annotations evince that he has undertaken a task to which he was unequal. He appears well acquainted with what was requisite to elucidate and do justice to his Author.-On the whole, whatever little errors may be found in this work, it unquestionably does credit to the taste, learning, and judgment of the Editor. Whether we consider Hudibras, with Dr. Grey, as an infallible cure for enthusiasm and hypocrisy,'-or, with Dr. Nash, as containing every ingredient of wit and humour,'-we are happy in seeing the work thus honoured; and we must deem the labour bestowed on its elucidation entitled to literary and general applause." Monthly Review, N. S. vol. XV. pp. 172, 177.

Another intelligent Reviewer very properly observes, "The Editor has indulged a little innocent vanity, by prefixing his own Portrait, as well as that of his House, to the volume of Notes, which, however, he has himself ridiculed in the words of Butler subjoined, and itch of picture in the front. Nor has he suffered us to be entirely ignorant of his Family; for, in a note upon a note, occasioned by the name of Tom Nash the Author, he thus details some particulars relating to that subject: This Tom Nash should not be confounded with Thomas Nash, barrister, of the Inner Temple, who is buried in that church, and has the following inscription: Depositum Thomæ Nash generosi, honesta orti familia in agro Vigorniensi, viri, charitate, humilitate, eximii, et mirè mansueti; Græcè, Latinè, Gallicè, et Italicè, apprimè docti, plurium (quos scripsit, transtulit, elucidavit, edidit) librorum authoris jure amplectendi: Interioris Templi annos circiter 30 repagularis, non solidi minus quam synceri. Tho. Nash obiit 25° Augusti 1648.' I have never seen any of his works; but am informed that the School of Potentates,' translated from the Latin, with observations, in octavo, 1648, was his, and that he probably wrote the 'Four-fold Discourse in quarto, 1632. He was a zealous Loyalist, contrary to the sentiments of his two brothers. The eldest, a country gentleman in Worcestershire, of considerable estate, from whom the Editor is descended, was very active in supporting the Parliament cause, and the government of Cromwell. The younger brother commanded a troop of horse. in the Parliament service, was Member of Parliament for the City of Worcester, and an active Justice of Peace under the Protector. The family quarrel on political accounts, which was carried on with the greatest animosity and most earnest desire to ruin each other, together with the decline of the King's affairs, and particularly the execution of his person, so affected the spirits of Mr. Thomas Nash, that he determined not long to survive it. The Editor hopes the Reader will excuse this periautology and account of his great grandfather, and his two

younger

tione Jo. Matthæi Gesneri. Recensuit, notasque

younger brothers: he at this day feels the effects of their family quarrels and party zeal." (Note, p. 302.)- Such notes," continues the Reviewer, "with a little circumstance of putting the names of the Painter and Engraver under the portrait, as witnesses to the likeness, with a 'sciant præsentes et futuri' superscribed, convey more notion of character than a long dissertation on the subject. We could not, therefore, refrain from taking from the Editor's hand the picture he has given of himself, for the more extensive gratification of the publick."

British Critic, vol. II. p. 52.

In 1799 Dr. Nash closed his literary labours, by a this volume, of 104 pages, under the title of " Supplement to the Collections for the History of Worcestershire;" in which he thus notices his preceding Work: "A good edition of Hudibras was very much wanted, and vainly attempted by Dr. Nash in 1793. Á superficial reader will easily observe frequent flashes of exquisite and brilliant wit and humour throughout the poem, sufficient to afford him ample pleasure and entertainment in the perusal ; but he that shall attempt to develope and illustrate all points of History, Chemistry, Astronomy, Astrology, &c. therein alluded or referred to, must have a capacity, and a depth, variety, and extent of knowledge and learning, nearly equal to [that possessed by] the Author himself, and which few or none of the present age, I think, will have the vanity to pretend to it is Ulysses's bow, which will not bend to the feeble efforts of the wooers of these days. Notwithstanding this, his high admiration of the poems, and being owner of the parish so greatly honoured by the Poet's birth, tempted the Editor to proceed: and, if he has not succeeded, yet magnis excidit ausis."

Of his "Worcestershire," Dr. Nash says, "The Additions to the Appendix have been very much shortened by the publication of Green's Survey of Worcester,' in which are some things intended to have been noticed; such as the charter of James I.; account of the battle of Worcester, 1651; life of Facio; the present King's visit to Worcester, 1788; continuation of the list of Mayors, Deans, Prebendaries, Chancellors, Archdeacons, &c. All these were prepared for the press; but, as they are now printed, it seemed needless to repeat them. I do not love to poach in other people's manors, or intrude upon their sports. What I have farther to add will be very short; and shall reserve my account of the Worcestershire noblemen and gentlemen, with their alliances and connexions, to a future day; for, while life continues, I can never be unmindful of my native County; and my maxim shall be, Amicus Plato, amicus Aristoteles [Socrates], sed magis amica Veritas."

The late Dr. Loveday, in a Letter to Mr. Urban, observes, "The worthy Historian of Worcestershire appears to be too squeamish, in depriving his valuable work of what he had prepared

for

adjecit, Thomas Tyrwhitt. Simul prodit Auctarium Dissertationis de Babrio," Svo.

"A Repertory of the Endowments of Vicarages in the Dioceses of Canterbury and Rochester. By Andrew Coltee Ducarel, LL. D. F. R. and A. SS. Commissary of the City and Diocese of Canterbury," 8vo.

for the press,' merely because some things intended to have been noticed' have been forestalled in another publication (of which no favourable character is exhibited in the Gentleman's Magazine, vol. LXVII. pp. 138, 139.) It is hoped that Dr. Nash may be prevailed upon to subjoin these necessary additions to his 'Supplement,' and not permit his volumes to remain imperfect from the omission of them. He might with equal reason have omitted the account of the circumstances relative to King John's Tomb; as from the same volume of the Gent. Mag. p. 745, col. 2, it appears that Mr. Green has described them in the publication referred to. -The Doctor would also do an acceptable service, by re-publishing his edition of Hudibras in octavo, with any improvements, which might be printed separately for the benefit of the possessors of his truly superb quartos.-Verbum sapientit." Gent. Mag. vol. LXXII. p. 488.

That this venerable and worthy Scholar was gratified by the article just quoted will appear by the following note: "Dr. Russell Nash presents his compliments to Mr. Nichols; thanks him for the civil things he says of him in his Magazine. Is an Octavo Edition of his Hudibras wished for? Be pleased to let him know by a line. Bevere, near Worcester, Aug. 16, 1802."

Dr. Nash died at his seat at Bevere, Jan. 26, 1811, in his 36th year; and on the 4th of February his remains were interred in the family vault at St. Peter's, Droitwich, of which rectory himself and his ancestors had been patrons a long series of years.

Margaret, his sole daughter and heir, was married, in 1785, to the Hon. John Somers Cocks, who, on the death of his father in 1806, succeeded to the title of Lord Somers, Baron of Evesham, and has had several children. The eldest, the Hon. John Somers Cocks, a Captain in the second regiment of Dragoon Guards, and M. P. for Ryegate, was unfortunately killed at the Siege of Burgos, 1812; the second, Philip, is a Captain in the sixteenth Regiment of Light Dragoons.

*See vol. III. p. 149.

"This Repertory is a second edition of a work printed in 4to in 1763. It is now much enlarged and improved, by many discoveries made since that time in the Records, Registers, &c. of the See of Canterbury, and those of the Dean and Chapter of that Cathedral. The Account of the Endowments of Vicarages in the Diocese of Rochester is also an acceptable addition.

The

"Letters of the late Ignatius Sancho, an African. To which are prefixed, Memoirs of his Life*." Two volumes small 8vo.

The Doctor's good intentions deserve the acknowledgments of the Clergy; but if his researches should conduce, movere quieta, and involve them in contentions with their parishioners, none will be ultimately benefited-but the Lawyers."

Rev. John Duncombe, in Gent. Mag. vol. LXII. p. 29. *The amiable Negro, whose posthumous Letters are here collected, was first known to the publick by an humane and sensible epistle which he wrote to the late Mr. Sterne, of facetious memory, and which was published with some of his pieces. Mr. Sancho was born (as his Memoirs inform us) in 1729, on board a ship in the Slave-trade, soon after it had quitted the Coast of Guinea; and at Carthagena he was baptised by the Bishop, and christened Ignatius. His mother soon fell a sacrifice to the climate, and his father to suicide. At two years old he was brought by his master to England, and presented to three maiden sisters at Greenwich, who, warped by prejudice, would not enlarge his mind, for fear of emancipating his per son, and, petulant in disposition, foolishly named him Sancho, from a fancied resemblance to that waggish Squire. Patronized, however, by the late Duke of Montague, who lived on Blackheath, at an early age he received from his Grace presents of books, and other encouragements; but, after the Duke's death, having abandoned the maiden family, and the Duchess-dowager refusing him an asylum, he procured, in despair, an old pistol, for a familiar and hereditary purpose. This, by the way, and some other ignominious blots in his, escutcheon, might, we think, have been permitted, like Falstaff's, to "sleep with him in his grave, and need not have been "remembered in his epitaph." The Duchess, however, at length consented to receive him as her butler, and as such he continued in her family till her death, when, by her Grace's bequest and his own œconomy, he was possessed of 70l. in money, and an annuity of 30%. Over his subsequent dissipation we throw a veil. Poverty reducing him again to service, he first lived with the Chaplain at Montagu-house, and soon after with the succeeding Duke, where he married a deserving young woman of West Indian origin. Gout and corpulence rendering him, in 1773, incapable of being further useful as a domestic, he was enabled, by the munificence of his friends, and his own frugality, to settle in a shop of grocery in Charles-street, Westminster, where, by his industry, he decently maintained a numerous family of children, till a complication of disorders terminated his life on the 14th of December, 1780.-A son of his was for some little time a Bookseller in the famous old shop at the corner of the Mews Gate, formerly the residence of honest Tom Payne; but is now dead.

Supple