Page:Life of Edmond Malone.djvu/204

CHAPTER IX.

1792—1793.

Joseph Warton—Ritson’s Criticisms on Malone—Malone’s Letter to Dr. Farmer—Editors of Shakspeare—Death of Reynolds—Letter of the Poet Mason—Lord Edward Fitzgerald and Pamela—Jephson’s Roman Portraits—Bishop Douglas’s Anecdotes—Davenport, Steevens, Lord Charlemont—Prospectus of a new Edition of Shakspeare.

“January 6th, 1792.—A call from Dr. Joseph Warton produced a conversation respecting Spence, author of the Anecdotes, who he maintained Dr. Johnson had under-rated.

“He told me that Spence once intended to publish his Anecdotes, and had actually sold them to Robert Dodsley for a hundred pounds. Before the matter was finally settled both Spence and Dodsley died. Spence’s executors, Dr. G. Ridley and Dr. South, late Bishop of London (who mentioned this circumstance to Dr. Warton), on looking over the Anecdotes found there were so many personal strokes affecting persons then living, that suppression at least for a time was deemed the more prudent course.

“James Dodsley, brother to Robert, relinquished his bargain, though he probably would have gained 400l. or 500l. by it, being unwilling that anything should appear prejudicial to the memory of Spence. The executors sealed up the papers and delivered them to Spence’s patron, the present Duke of New-