Notes and Queries, Number 67, February 8, 1851 | Page 4

Reception y^t will
redound to their Honour.
"My Grandfather's turning short upon the Court (as[5] Sir William
Temple expresses it) had only this plain reason for it; that he discoverd
the King to be a Papist, through that disguise of an Esprit fort, w^{ch}
was a character his Vices and over fondness of Witt made him affect
and act very naturally. Whatever Complyances my Grandfather, as a
States-man, might make before this discovery, to gain the King, from

his Brother and y^e French Party, he broke off all, when by the Duke of
Buckingham's means, he had gaind this secret. For my Grandfather's
Aversion and irreconcileable Hatred to Popery, was (as Phanaticisme,)
confessd by his greatest Enemyes to be his Master-Passion. Nor was it
ever said that the King left him: but He the King, for nothing was
omitted afterwards by that Prince to regain him; nor nothing to destroy
him, when that was found impossible----
"But I must end: least I fail this Post."
The superscription is:
"A Monsieur Monsieur LE CLERC sur le Keiser Gracht près de
l'Eglise Arminienne a Amsterdam"
[Footnote 1: "A Gentleman of a Sound Protestant Family allways in
great Friendship with ours. Both Father and Son were members of
Parlement for that Town, and were Stewards to my G^d Father." (In a
marginal note.)]
[Footnote 2: "It was there (as I take it) that Mr. Lock came so
particularly well acquainted with My Lord Pembrock, that great
Ornament and Pillar of our Nation. He was then Mr. Herbert, a younger
Brother only." --(In a marginal note.)]
[Footnote 3: "Gen. c. 24." (In a marginal note.)]
[Footnote 4: The Speech was an Act of Councill examind beforehand
in the Cabinet.
"Mr. Lock saw the first Coppy of it, w^{ch} was very different; and
after it was alter'd in the Cabinet, my Grandfather complain'd to Mr.
Lock and a Relation of his whome Mr. Lock introducd into y^e family.
"The same Person has left me a written account of that affaire; and so
great was my Grandfather's Concern and Trouble, that He who of all
Men alas esteemd y^e most ready in speaking was forcd to desire Mr.
Lock to stand at his Elbow with the written Coppy to prompt him in

Case of failure in his Repetition." (In a marginal note.)]
[Footnote 5: "It is my Grandfathers Misfortune to have S^r Will^m
Temple, a valewable Author, very unfavourable to him: there having
been a great Quarrel between them on a slight occasion of my
Grandfather's having stopt his Gift of Plate after his Embassy; a
Custome w^{ch} my Grandfather as Chancellor of ye Exchequer
thought very prejudicial." (In a marginal note.)]
* * * * *
{100}
MR. GOUGH'S TRANSLATION OF THE HISTORY OF THE
BIBLE.
In vol. vi., p. 266., of Nichols's Literary Anecdotes, "Memoirs of Mr.
Gough," is the following anecdote of Mr. Gough's precocious talents--
"At the very early age of eleven he commenced a task that would have
reflected credit on any period of life; which, by the indulgence of his
mother, appeared in print under the title of 'The History of the Bible,
translated from the French by R. G., junior, 1746. London: Printed by
James Waugh in the year 1747.' Of this curious volume, consisting of
160 sheets in folio, not more than twenty-five copies were printed, as
presents to a few particular friends and when completed at the press, it
is marked by way of colophon, 'Done at twelve years and a half old.'"
Mr. Nichols in his notes says, that the French edition was printed at
Amsterdam, in 2 vols. folio, with plates, 1700. That by the generosity
of Mr. Gough's worthy relict, he had a copy of the work with Mr.
Gough's corrections in maturer age; and in a note at p. 642. of this
volume of the Literary Anecdotes Mr. Nichols further states, that
"By a singular chance, at a sale of the library of Dr. Guise in January,
1812, he met with two copies of Mr. Gough's juvenile translation of the
History of the Bible; and at the end of one of the volumes were ten
sheets of Mr. Pickering's Dictionary, perhaps the only copy of them in

existence."
The Rev. Roger Pickering was Mr. Gough's tutor until he was admitted
at Bene't College, Cambridge, July, 1752, being then in the 17th year of
his age. This Dictionary was compiled on the plan of Calmet, but left
unfinished.
Mr. J. B. Nichols, son of the late venerable octogenarian, having
recently presented me with a copy of Mr. Gough's scarce volume, I am
anxious to learn by whom the original French work was written, and
where a copy may be purchased. It is one of much erudition; sound in
doctrine and principle; pleasing and familiar in its language,