In 1748 Walter published 'A Voyage round the World in the years 1740-1-2-3-4, by George Anson, esq., now Lord Anson . . . compiled from his papers and materials by Richard Walter, Chaplain of His Majesty s ship the Centurion in that Expedition,' 4to. The book had been anxiously looked for, and almost immediately ran through several editions; four were issued in 1748. It has been since reprinted very many times in its entirety or in abridgments, and is still esteemed as the story of a remarkable voyage extremely well told. In 1761 a statement was published by Dr. James Wilson, in editing the 'Mathematical Tracts' of Benjamin Robins [q. v.], to the effect that the real author of the book was Robins, Walter having contributed but a bare skeleton of matter from journals and logs, in a form quite unsuitable for publication. Upon this assertion being repeated in the 'Biographia Britannica' (1789), Walter's widow wrote to John Walter, bookseller at Charing Cross, and 'a relation to the deceased,' positively denying its truth [see under Walter, John, 1739-1812]. 'During the time of Mr. Walter's writing that voyage,' she said, 'he visited me almost daily previous to our marriage, and I have frequently heard him say how closely he had been engaged in writing for some hours to prepare for his constant attendance upon Lord Anson, at six every morning, for his approbation,as his lordship overlooked every sheet that was written. At some of those meetings Mr. Robins assisted, as he was consulted in the disposition of the drawings; and I also know that Mr. Robins left England—for he was sent to Bergen-op-Zoom—some months before the publication of the book; and I have frequently seen Mr. Walter correct the proof-sheets for the printer' (Notes and Queries, 8th ser. ii. 86). Independently of this, the book is unquestionably the work of a man familiar with the daily life on board a ship of war, and that Robins was not. Robins may have taken a greater or less part in the work of revision, but his definitely ascertained share in the book is confined to the discussion of the nautical observations which occupy the second volume.
[Notes and Queries, 7th ser. vii. 112-13, viii. 14, 517, 8th ser. ii. 86, iii. 447; Nichols's Lit. Anecdotes, ix. 782.]
WALTER, THEOBALD (d. 1205?), first butler of Ireland. [See Butler.]
WALTER, WILLIAM (fl. 1520), translator, is described on the title-pages of his books as 'servaunt to Syr Henry Marney, knight, chaunceler of the duchy of Lancastre.' Marney was chancellor from 1509 to 1523, in which year he was created Baron Marney, dying a month later (G. E. Cokayne). Complete Peerage, v. 259). It is therefore probable that Walter's works were written earlier than is indicated by the date of publication of his first work. Possibly he is the Walter whose services in Paris were so useful to Thomas Lupset [q. v.] in 1528 (Letters and Papers, iv. 4022-3).
His works are: 1. 'Guystarde and Sygysmonde. Here foloweth the amerous hystory of Guistarde and Sygysmonde and of theyr dolorous deth by her father, newly translated out of laten into englysshe by Wyllyam Walter, servaunt to Syr Henry Marney, knight, chaunceler of the duchy of Lancastre. Imprinted at London in Flete Strete at the sygne of the Sonne by Wynkyn de Worde. In the yere of our lords 1532,' 4to. The poem was reprinted for the Roxburghe Club in 1818. It is written in seven-line stanzas, with occasional additional stanzas in the same metre inserted by R. Coplande by way of edifying comment. The Latin may be Leonard Aretino's version of Boccaccio's story. The poem is different from 'The statelie Tragedy of Guistard and Sismond' which occurs in ' Certaine worthye Manuscript Poems of great Antiquitie . . . published by J. S.,' London, 1597; Edinburgh, 1812; but the metre is the same, and neither poem is directly from Boccaccio. 2. 'The Spectacle of Lovers. Hereafter foloweth a lytell contravers dyalogue between love and councell with many goodly argumentes of good women and bad, very compendyous to all estates, newly compyled by William Walter, servaunt unto Syr Henry Marnaye, knyght, Chauncelour of the Duchy of Lancastre. Imprynted at London in Flete Strete at the sygne of the Sonne by me, Wynkyn de Worde,' n.d., 4to. There is a short account of this poem, which is apparently a translation, in Collier's 'Bibliographical Account of Early English Literature' (ii. 378, 482). Robert Coplande writes l'envoy. 3. 'Tytus and Gesyppus. Here begynneth the hystory of Tytus and Gesyppus translated out of latyn in to englyshe by Wyllyam Walter, sometymeservante to Syr Henry Marney,knyght, chaunceler of the duchy of Lancastre. Emprynted at London in the Flete Strete at the sygne of the Sonne by me, Wynkyn de Worde,' n.d., 4to. The poem is described in Dibdin's edition of Herbert's Ames.
[Dibdin's edition of Herbert's Ames, ii. 292, 337, 338; Warton's English Poetry, iii. 188, iv. 339; none of the original editions of Walter's works are in the Brit. Mus. Libr.]
