letter in Knight's Eversley edition of the 'Poetical Works,' vii. 94, copied from his Edinburgh edition, vii. 90:

"In a letter to Prof. Henry Reed, dated Rydal Mount, Sept. 4, 1842,' Wordsworth says: A few days ago, after a very long interval, I returned to poetical composition: and my first employment was to write a couple of Sonnets upon subjects recommended by you to take place in the Ecclesiastical Series. They are upon the Marriage Ceremony and the Funeral Service. I have, about the same time, added two others, both upon

subjects taken from the Services of our Liturgy.'

In the Aldine edition, Dowden, who without acknowledgment accepted Knight's quotation as it stood, failed no less in a final statement of the evidence. Under Ecclesiastical Sonnets,' iii. 21-31, his note reads:

"Of these sonnets-the text of which is unchanged-certainly four were written in 1842, and probably the others followed in the same year or a little later. They were all first published in 1845. Writing to Henry Reed, Sept. 4, 1842, Wordsworth says: [Here follows the mistaken text as Knight has given it both in the Edinburgh and Eversley editions, identical even to the use of capitals]."

With Hutchinson and Smith, as well as Dowden, unable to furnish a definite statement, and in view of Knight's misleading quotations, it seems best once for all to set the whole matter forth at some length. 'Ecclesiastical Sonnets,' iii. 26, 27, 28, and 31 were composed between April 28 and Sept. 4, 1842, probably “a few days" before the latter date.

Of Pt. ii., Nos. 1, 2, 9, and 10. Since the letter of Sept. 4, 1842, from Wordsworth to Reed is under discussion, it may be well to refer to one sentence in it which is correctly quoted by Knight when he would establish the dates of composition of Ecclesiastical Sonnets,' ii. 9 and 10. Knight says (Eversley edition, vii. 42; Edinburgh edition, vii. 41)::

"In a letter to Prof. Henry Reed, Philadelphia, Sept. 4, 1842, Wordsworth writes: To the second part of the Series' (the Ecclesiastical Sonnets) I have also added two, in order to do more justice to the Papal Church for the services which she did actually render to Christianity and humanity in the Middle Ages.'

Dowden repeats Knight's note (omitting the words "and humanity and the parenthesis). He applies it to Ecclesiastical Sonnets,' ii. 9 and 10. Smith and Hutchinson assert that ii. 9 and 10 were composed in 1842. But no evidence is given by Knight or Dowden or Smith or Hutchinson that these two rather than ii. 1 and 2

more

Indeed, the words of the letter "did actually render" point to ii. 2 and 9 as explicitly doing "justice to the Papal Church." Editors have not yet hazarded a date of composition for 11. 1 and 2 ; but have, with no clear statement of the evidence, believed their conclusions on 9 and 10 to be final.

Of Pt. iii., Nos. 16, 29, and 30.

Mar. 27, 1843, is quoted by Knight ( Letters,' A letter from Wordsworth to Reed, dated iii. 263-5). The present writer, who has examined the original in Mrs. St. John's library, attests the accuracy of the following sentence from it :

"....I send you, according to your wish, the additions to the ecclesiastical sonnets...

Reed's reply, written April 27, 1843, is here quoted from the original ::

"Your letter of the 27th of March reached me some days ago....

66

precious inclosures in your letter. The Church Let me most cordially thank you for the sonnets have an especial interest inasmuch as they give a completeness to the Ecclesiastical series which was very greatly to be desired. There now seems to be nothing wanting in fulfilment of the design of this imaginative commentary (if that be not too prosaic a title) upon the history and services of the Church....'

The MS. which accompanies these letters of March and April in the Wordsworth-Reed correspondence was pointed out to the present writer by Mrs. St. John in 1919. It bears no date, but it is creased into folds exactly corresponding to the cover of the letter it is supposed to accompany, and satisfies the references to such a document made by both Reed and Wordsworth. Its contents are as follows:

"The sonnet 12 (Sacheverel) is to stand elsewhere and this to be inserted in its place." [Here is written a version of iii. 16 beginning :Bishops and Priests, how blest are Ye....] "....after the one on the Sacrament comesthe following ::

The Marriage Ceremony.' [Here is written iii. 26, and following it in order

come :

composed before Mar. 27, 1843, and presumably after Sept. 4, 1842, since Wordsworth did not then mention them in their necessary connection.

Lord Coleridge's copy of the edition of 1836-37 with Wordsworth's suggested alterations in manuscript is quoted by Knight in his Eversley edition as having variant readings for Ecclesiastical Sonnets,' ii. 1, 10, iii. 12, 19, 26, 29, 32. Knight's remarks on the date of these readings (vol. i., pp. 46, 47) show that we can expect no definite assistance from this source:

"These MS. notes seem to have been written by himself, or dictated to others, at intervals between the years 1836 and 1850...

66

..it is impossible to discover the precise year in which the suggested alterations were written by Wordsworth, on the margin of the edition of 1836...."

If Knight has not erred in his conclusions in regard to this document, the MS. in Mrs. St. John's library remains the important evidence as to the date of composition of 'Ecclesiastical Sonnets,' iii. 16, 29, and 30. ABBIE FINDLAY POTTS.

Cornell University.

THE PARISH OF ST. MICHAEL :
CROOKED LANE.

Ir is generally known that this church was demolished, and practically the whole parish rebuilt, in order to provide the northern approach to London Bridge. To the narrow lanes and post-Great Fire houses there succeeded broad thoroughfares lined with blocks of offices, usually of the brick and stucco order, civic adaptations of Nash and Decimus Burton's pseudo-classical taste.

There have been some subsequent rebuildings, but with the expiration of leases great changes are taking place, and there is much to notice and record before final obliteration occurs.

The bibliography of the parish is difficult to compile. William Herbert prepared and issued by subscription :

"The History and Antiquities of the Parish and Church of Saint Michael, Crooked Lane, London. Including an account of the Roman and other discoveries in making the Excavations for the New London Bridge approaches and Historical Sketches of the Celebrated Boar's Head Tavern, Eastcheap." (Circa 1831.)

Several publishers were associated with the venture and the cover of each five shilling part announces that the work is "to be completed in about six parts." Apparently it was not completed. Parts i. and ii. in

66

Pt. i.-Thin brown paper cover; title on front; other pages blank. Frontispiece, upright view of church, Drawn and Engraved by T. Wells." No title or half-title. Text: pp. 1-80 (B to L in fours).-There exists a large paper issue of the three parts, and the ordinary issue in 8vo is presumably the same printing cut down.

Pt. ii.-Folding plan "Shewing the Site of St. Michael's Church together with the ancient line of Roads and Buildings previous to their removal for the approaches to the New London Drawn by William Knight, Bridge in 1831. Archt. Engraved by R. Martin. Holborn." 124 High Frontispiece oblong view of church,by J. Wells. No title or half-title. Text, pp. 81-160 (M to X in fours). Cover as for pt. i., except that p. 3 and part of p. 4 has list of subscribers."

William Knight, F.S.A., was "resident Superintendent to the New Bridge."

Pt. iii.-Presumably uniform with preceding, but No frontispiece, title, or half-title. Text, pp. 161-240 (Y to 2H in fours).

Inscriptions, &c.-Title (A1). Introduction ;; orders in vestry directing the preparation and printing (pp. A3 and A4). Text, pp. 1-50 and 1 blank leaf (B to H in fours). Frontispiece, same view as for pt. i. but an earlier state of plate as the title is etched.

The fact that sheet A is missing from these parts and that they have neither title nor half-title suggests an intentional suppression; possibly because these were unsuitable, or because the non-success of the issue in parts decided the author to publish in volume form only.

There is matter of great interest in this unfinished work, though it has little to relate about the Boar's Head or the parish generally. That the author intended to devote the other parts to these is evidenced by the title and the existence of a scarce lithograph he had issued about the same time. Small oblong folio in size, this is printed by Gilks and its title reads: "A Fac-simile of the original Shakesperian Relic. In the possession of Thomas Windus Esqre F.S.A., Stamford Hill." For "Facsimile" read "Illustration." The relic is a plaque or circular boss with a boar's head in

letter in Knight's Eversley edition of the 'Poetical Works,' vii. 94, copied from his Edinburgh edition, vii. 90::

"In a letter to Prof. Henry Reed, dated' Rydal Mount, Sept. 4, 1842,' Wordsworth says: A few days ago, after a very long interval, I returned to poetical composition: and my first employment was to write a couple of Sonnets upon subjects recommended by you to take place in the Ecclesiastical Series. They are upon the Marriage Ceremony and the Funeral Service. I have, about the same time, added two others, both upon

subjects taken from the Services of our Liturgy.'

In the Aldine edition, Dowden, who without acknowledgment accepted Knight's quotation as it stood, failed no less in a final statement of the evidence. Under Ecclesiastical Sonnets,' iii. 21-31, his note reads :

"Of these sonnets-the text of which is unchanged-certainly four were written in 1842, and probably the others followed in the same year or a little later. They were all first published in 1845. Writing to Henry Reed, Sept. 4, 1842, Wordsworth says: [Here follows the mistaken text as Knight has given it both in the Edinburgh and Eversley editions, identical even to the use of capitals]."

With Hutchinson and Smith, as well as Dowden, unable to furnish a definite statement, and in view of Knight's misleading quotations, it seems best once for all to set the whole matter forth at some length. "Ecclesiastical Sonnets,' iii. 26, 27, 28, and 31 were composed between April 28 and Sept. 4, 1842, probably a few days" before

the latter date.

Of Pt. ii., Nos. 1, 2, 9, and 10. Since the letter of Sept. 4, 1842, from Wordsworth to Reed is under discussion, it may be well to refer to one sentence in it which is correctly quoted by Knight when he would establish the dates of composition of Ecclesiastical Sonnets,' ii. 9 and 10. Knight says (Eversley edition, vii. 42; Edinburgh edition, vii. 41) :—

"In a letter to Prof. Henry Reed, Philadelphia, Sept. 4, 1842, Wordsworth writes: To the second part of the Series' (the 'Ecclesiastical Sonnets) I have also added two, in order to do more justice to the Papal Church for the services which she did actually render to Christianity and humanity in the Middle Ages.'

66

Indeed, the words of the letter "did actually render point to ii. 2 and 9 as more explicitly doing justice to the Papal Church.' Editors have not yet hazarded a date of composition for 11. 1 and 2 ; but have, with no clear statement of the evidence, believed their conclusions on 9 and 10 to be final.

Of Pt. iii., Nos. 16, 29, and 30.

Mar. 27, 1843, is quoted by Knight ( Letters,' A letter from Wordsworth to Reed, dated iii. 263-5). The present writer, who has examined the original in Mrs. St. John's library, attests the accuracy of the following sentence from it :

:

"....I send you, according to your wish, the additions to the ecclesiastical sonnets....' Reed's reply, written April 27, 1843, is here quoted from the original :— "Your letter of the 27th of March reached me some days ago....

66

precious inclosures in your letter. The Church Let me most cordially thank you for the sonnets have an especial interest inasmuch as they give a completeness to the Ecclesiastical series which was very greatly to be desired. There now seems to be nothing wanting in fulfilment of the design of this imaginative commentary (if that be not too prosaic a title) upon the history and services of the Church...

The MS. which accompanies these letters of March and April in the Wordsworth-Reed correspondence was pointed out to the present writer by Mrs. St. John in 1919. It bears no date, but it is creased into folds exactly corresponding to the cover of the letter it is supposed to accompany, and satisfies the references to such a document made by both Reed and Wordsworth. contents are as follows:

Its

Thanksgiving after Childbirth,' iii. 27. 'The Commination Service,' iii. 29.

Forms of Prayer at Sea,' iii. 30. 'Visitation of the Sick,' iii. 28. 'Funeral Service,' iii. 31.

Suggested alterations for iii. 32 and iii. 19.] Hence it becomes possible to say, pending the discovery of some other inclosure which would better satisfy the references of Wordsworth and Reed, that Ecclesiastical Sonnets,' iii. 16, 29, and 30, respectively

Bishops and Priests,' 'The Commination

composed before Mar. 27, 1843, and presumably after Sept. 4, 1842, since Wordsworth did not then mention them in their necessary connection.

Lord Coleridge's copy of the edition of 1836-37 with Wordsworth's suggested alterations in manuscript is quoted by Knight in his Eversley edition as having variant readings for Ecclesiastical Sonnets,' ii. 1, 10, iii. 12, 19, 26, 29, 32. Knight's remarks on the date of these readings (vol. i., pp. 46, 47) show that we can expect no definite assistance from this source:—

THE PARISH OF ST. MICHAEL :
CROOKED LANE.

IT is generally known that this church was demolished, and practically the whole parish rebuilt, in order to provide the northern approach to London Bridge. To the narrow lanes and post-Great Fire houses there succeeded broad thoroughfares lined with blocks of offices, usually of the brick and stucco order, civic adaptations of Nash and Decimus Burton's pseudo-classical taste.

There have been some subsequent rebuildings, but with the expiration of leases great changes are taking place, and there is much to notice and record before final obliteration occurs.

The bibliography of the parish is difficult to compile. William Herbert prepared and issued by subscription :—

"The History and Antiquities of the Parish and Church of Saint Michael, Crooked Lane, London. Including an account of the Roman and other discoveries in making the Excavations for the New London Bridge approaches and Historical Sketches of the Celebrated Boar's Head Tavern, Eastcheap." (Circa 1831.)

Several publishers were associated with the venture and the cover of each five shilling part announces that the work is "to be completed in about six parts." Apparently it was not completed. Parts i. and ii. in

Pt. i.-Thin brown paper cover; title on front; other pages blank. Frontispiece, upright view of church, "Drawn and Engraved by T. Wells." No title or half-title. Text: pp. 1-80 (B to L in fours).-There exists a large paper issue of the three parts, and the ordinary issue in 8vo is presumably the same printing cut down.

Pt. ii.-Folding plan "Shewing the Site of St. Michael's Church together with the ancient line of Roads and Buildings previous to their removal for the approaches to the New London Drawn by William Knight, Bridge in 1831. Holborn." Archt. Engraved by R. Martin. 124 High Frontispiece oblong view of church,by J. Wells. No title or half-title. Text, pp. 81-160 (M to X in fours). Cover as for pt. i., except that p. 3 and part of p. 4 has list of subscribers."

William Knight, F.S.A., was "resident Superintendent to the New Bridge."

Pt. iii. Presumably uniform with preceding, but No frontispiece, title, or half-title. Text, pp. 161-240 (Y to 2H in fours).

Inscriptions, &c.-Title (A1). Introduction ;: orders in vestry directing the preparation and printing (pp. A3 and A4). Text, pp. 1-50 and 1 blank leaf (B to H in fours). Frontispiece, same view as for pt. i. but an earlier state of plate as the title is etched.

The fact that sheet A is missing from these parts and that they have neither title nor half-title suggests an intentional suppression; possibly because these were unsuitable, or because the non-success of the issue in parts decided the author to publish in volume form only.

There is matter of great interest in this unfinished work, though it has little to relate about the Boar's Head or the parish generally. That the author intended to devote the other parts to these is evidenced by the title and the existence of a scarce lithograph he had issued about the same time. Small oblong folio in size, this is printed by Gilks and its title reads: 'A Fac-simile of the original Shakesperian Relic. In the possession of Thomas Windus Esqre F.S.A., Stamford Hill." For "Facsimile read "Illustration." The relic is aplaque or circular boss with a boar's head in