of these Times. | Collected from | Zaphaniel's Original Papers. | By George Alexander Stevens, | Author of the celebrated Lecture upon Heads. | To which are prefixed, | Memoirs of the Life of the Author. | A New edition, | Illustrated with Copper-Plates. | London: | Printed for J. Murray, | Nᵒ 32, Fleet-Street. | mdcclxxxv.
A third edition was published the following year, but the only difference is that the title-page was dated 1786, instead of 1785. The body of the book is made up from the remainder sheets.
The original edition consisted of a title-page, with a list of "Dramatis Personae" on the reverse; a leaf, with a copper-plate heading, entitled 'Zaphaniel's Exhortation to his Fellows in the Faith,' and text pp. 1-192. To the second and third editions was prefixed 'An Account of the Life of the Author,' pp. [iii-xii], and the list of "Dramatis Personae" was transferred from the back of the title-page to p. [xii].
Exclusive of the heading of 'Zaphaniel's Exhortation,' there are fourteen illustrations engraved on copper. These illustrations consist of a frontispiece, and plates opposite pp. 1, 7, 12, 15, 21, 29, 36, 41, 57, 63, 118, 124, and 148. It is very unusual to find a copy with the plates complete. I have five copies of the book: two of the first, two of the second, and one of the third edition; and in every one of these there was, when I bought them, a plate or two missing. The two which are most commonly wanting is that which faces p. 15, entitled 'The Moonlight Amour,' which is said in a contemporary note in one of my copies to be dedicated to Mr. John Fazakerley, and the folding plate of 'The Choice Spirits' opposite p. 41. Both these plates are also found in Stevens's 'Songs, Comic, and Satyrical,' which was printed at Oxford in 1772, and it is possible the supply was exhausted before the 1785 and 1786 editions of 'The Dramatic History' were issued.
Mr. Lowe says that the leaf 'Zaphaniel's Exhortation,' with vignette, "satirical upon Whitefield, Wesley, and Romaine," was cancelled, and that copies with the cancel are very valuable. This leaf, however, occurs in all the copies of the book in my possession, and I cannot think that the cancellation, if it took place at all, was really effective.
EPITAPHIANA.
Epitaphs in the Cathedral at Bourges.—Perhaps these two inscriptions deserve a place in 'N. & Q.' I have copied them with the old spelling and with the corrections cut in the marble. They show that the grandfather and grandson served ten kings, from Louis XI. to Louis XIII. inclusive:—
HAVLT ET PVISSANT SEIGNEVR MESSIRE GABRIEL DE LA CHASTRE SIEVR DE NANCAY, BESIGNY, SANDRAY, ET SIGONNEAR, BARON DE LA MAISONFORT CONSEILLER DV ROY EN SON CONSEIL D'ESTAT, TROISIEME DE SA MAISON CAPPITAINE DE L'ANTIENNE GARDE FRANÇOISE DV CORPS DE SA MAJESTÉ PREVOST DE L'ORDRE SAINCT MICHEL, MAISTRE DES CERIMONYES DE FRANCE, CHAMBELLAN ET MAISTRE D'HOSTEL ORDINAIRE DV ROY CAPPITAINE DE LA GROSSE TOVR DE BOVRGES ET DES CHASTEAVX DE MEHVN SVR YEVRE ET ROMARANTIN LVNG DES GOWERNEVRS DE MESSIEVRS LES ENFANTS DV ROY FRANCOIS PREMIER LEQVEL MESSIRE GABRIEL A SERVY QVATRE ROYS SCAVOIR [LOYS XI.] CHARLES VIII. LOYS XII. FRANCOIS PREMIER, [ET HENRY SECOND] ET TREPASSA LE MARDY NEVFIESME JOVR DE MARS LAN 1538.
HAVLT et PVISSANT SEIGNEVR MESSIRE CLAVDE DE LA CHASTRE, BARON DE LA MAISONFORT, SANDRAY, NOVAN LE FVZELIER, LA FERTHE, CHEVALIER DES ORDRES DV ROY CAPPITAINE DE GENTHOMMES DARMES DE SES ORDONNANCES BAILLY ET GOVVERNEVR DE BERRY, GOVVERNEVR ET LIEVTENAT GENERAL POUR SA MAᵀᴱ DE LA VILLE D'ORLEANS CAPPⁿᵉ DE LA GROSSE TOVR DE BOVRGES, CONSEILLER DV ROY EN SES CONSEILS DESTAT ET PRIVÉ ET MARESCHAL DE FRANCE LEQVEL A SERVY SIX ROYS, ASSᴬVOTR HENRY SECOND AVX GVERRES DE PIEDMONT ET D'ITALIE, FRANCOIS SECOND CHARLES NEVFIESME, HENRY TROISIEME, HENRY LE GRANDE QVATRIESME ET LOYS TREISIEME A PRESENT REIGNANT ET A FAICT FAIRE CESTE EPITAPHE EN LANNÉE PRESENTS 1611.
In the list of sovereigns whom "Messire Gabriel" served "Loys XI." has been inserted at the beginning, and the words "et Henry Second" at the end have been struck out. H. K. Hudson.
The following are to be found in the pleasant, but now almost forgotten records of pedestrian travel by the late Walter White, for many years assistant secretary to the Royal Society, who died 1893.
From 'A Month in Yorkshire,' 1858.
1. In Thirsk Churchyard:—
Afflictions sore he long time bore,
Which wore his strength away,
That made him long for heavenly rest,
Which never will decay.
