[" JUNIUS" LETTERS.]
146
A Whig. Why ? S. S. . Y. Z. Tour Beal
Fnend
See also "Hotes and Queries," 1st Ser., vi. 239, xli.299.
II. The following list of 51 names, embraces the personages to whom these celebrated letters have been attributed. The Roman numerals appended to the notes indicate the corresponding work in the bibliography (Part III )
Adair, James, M.P., Serjeant at Law. d. 1798.
A Mr. Sergeant Adair was once produced, on the plea of certain ephemeral pamphlets, but the feebleness they evinced caused hiin to be quickly given up. WADE, " Jumus," n xv.
The reader should also consult the lengthy argument of Mr Adair against granting a nolle proseqm in favor of the messengers of the House of Commons, and the lefeience to this case in Junius' letter of April 9, 1771.
Allen, Captain. See "Notes and
Queries/' 1st Ser , xi. 302. Barre*, Lieut -Col Isaac, M.P.
In the works by Britton and Jaques (Nos. LXXXV. and LXXXVI.) I find the opinion ex- pressed that Baire" was aided by Lord Shelburne and Dunning (afterwaids Lord Ash burton). The "Morning He*rald,"as early as 1813, stated that the Earl of Shelburne was probably Junius, and that Barr6 and Dunning assisted him
For the claims advanced in favor of and against Barre, see Jaques' work, p, 141, Alli- fcone, Britton, Wade, n. xxix and No LXZVI.
Bentinck, William Heary Caven- dish.
His name is mentioned In Coventry's "Critical Enquiry " (see No. LSI.)
Bicker-ton, Mr.
In the " Oxford Spy " (Oxf ), 1818, p. 24, will be found a notice of this eccentric individual, who is said to have kept a horse in Hertford College, Oxford, which was sometimes seen looking out of a window on the second flooi. For additional information, see " Notes and Que- ries," 1st Ser., xi. 370.
Boyd, Hugfc M'Aulay. b- 1746; d, 1791.
Boyd's claims are summarily disposed of in Wade's work (No. LXXVII ). Alraon, m the first volume of " Anecdotes," published in 1797, designates Boyd as the author of Junins See also wraxall, " Memoirs of his own Time," 1836, ii. 93-94, and N"os, xxx., xxxm., xux., LI
Boyd has heen described as ' an adnjtrer of Junius, and vain enough to wish to be thought the author. '*
As to Macaulay Boyd's heing the author of Junius's Letters, it is a perfect jole ; no two characters can be more perfectly unlike than Boyd and Jimius. BUTLEB, " lleminiscences,"
Burke, Rt. Hon. Edmund, b. 1728 :
d. 1797.
Bishop Markham, an early friend and patron of Burke, taxed the latter with the authorship of the " Letters," telling him that Ms house was a "nest of adders." Although Burke never made any poeith e denial to this imputation, he certainly disavowed any connection with Junius,
on three distinct occasions. Firstly, lie said to
Charles Townshend, "I give you my woid and
honour that I am not the authoi of Junius. 1 '
See Burke's " Correspondence," by Lord Fitz-
williara, i. 269-273 Secondly, he positively do-
nied the imputed authoi ship, on being ques-
tioned by Sir William Drapei , and lastly, ho
rnade a denial to Johnson, when he said, '*!
could not if I would, and I would not if T
could " See Boswell's "Johnson," Iv , for the
detailed circumstances.
It seems somewhat strange, however, that Burke should have been so geneiully suspected as the author. That such was the case, ne\or- theless, is obvious, not only fiom the opinion at first entertained by Sir William Diaper, but from vtuious public accusations conveyed in the penodicals or the day The letter of Zeno in the " Public Advertiser," dated Get 15, 1771, is addressed " to Junius, alias Edmund the Jesuit of St. Omei's "
See also Wade's edition of Woodfall, n., xx\ii. 138, and Nos. xxxvin., LXII., LSIV., and
LXXXVI.
Burke, William. See Jsfo. LXXXVI. Butler, John, Bishop of Hereford, d 1802.
Butler wns secretaiy to the Rt. Hon. Bilson Legge, Chancellor of the "Excheqnei , and Wilkes is snid to have suspected him us l.be authoi. Butler, howevei, was n man of no political com- age, and his woiks lack the fire which charactei- ize the "Letters." His claims aie discussed in Dr Good's Essay, in the edition published in 1814.
Camden, Charles, Uorcl h. 1713; d.
1794:.
It appears almost ludicrous to note that the great Lord Camden was suspected, simply on the giound of his dislike to the law and politics of Chief Justice Mansfield WADE.
De Lioline, John Lewis, b. 1745 (?) ; d. 1807.
De Lolme's claims are advocated in Dr. Bus- "by's work (see No XLVI ), but it must be remem- bered that he only ai rived in England in 1700. He is the author of an elegantly written u Essay on the English Constitution," which is quoted by Junius.
IMmning, John, afterwards Lord, Ashhurton. b. 1731 ; d. 1783.
The soul of Junius is, as we conjecture* com- raemorated in the picture exhibited in Sir Joshua Reynold's gallery, iepresenting Loid Shelbmno of Junius's day, Mr. Dunning, and Colonel Barrci of parliamentary fame, in conference. JAQVES, p. 141 (See Burre, ante )
Heron espouses the claims of Dunning, and Britton includes him among his claimants; but a very strong point ac^inst him is tin* tact that he was appointed solicitor-general in December, 1767, and held that office until Murch, 1770. Hence, admitting that he was Junius, the ian.ous letter " to the king," in December, 1769, must have proceeded fiom his Majesty's own aohcitoi- general I The Earl of Shelburne, who was in. tinaalely acquainted with Dunning, often declared that the latter did not " write a line of Jumus."
Dyer, Samuel, b. 1725; d. 1772.
Dyer is referred to in Malonc's "Life of Dry- den,'* as " a man of excellent taste and profound erudition, whose principal literary work, wuter a Roman siffnature, when the voil with which for near thirty-six years it has been enveloped shall l)e removed, will place him in a high rank
