Benjamin Harris and 'The Protestant Tutor.'—Benjamin Harris, a journalist of some notoriety during the last quarter of the seventeenth century, is not mentioned in the 'D.N.B.' Some particulars concerning him are given in the supplement to the 40,000th number of The Times by a writer who says that Harris's most enduring monument was 'The Protestant Tutor,' a spelling-book issued by him in 1679, which went through very many editions. I have a copy of the 1716 edition, "Printed and sold by B. Harris." I should like to know something of the history of the book and the reason for supposing that Harris wrote it, and further particulars respecting him if he is certainly the author. David Salmon.
Swansea.
Novels in 'Northanger Abbey.'—In Jane Austen's 'Northanger Abbey,' chap, vi., Isabella Thorpe gives Catherine Morland a list of novels which she advises her to read because "they are all horrid." Their names are as follows:—
'Castle of Wolfenbach,' 'Clermont,' 'Mysterious Warnings,' 'Necromancer of the Black Forest,' 'Midnight Bell,' 'Orphan of the Rhine,' and 'Horrid Mysteries.'
At first sight these names would appear to be simply parodies of the fashionable novel-names of the period, but two of them at least were real books. 'Clermont,' by Maria Regina Roche, was published in 1798, and 'The Midnight Bell' is mentioned in one of Jane Austen's letters of the same year. It is entered in the 'London Catalogue' of 1814-39: "The Midnight Bell, a German Story, 3 vols., published by Newman." I should be glad to know who was the author of 'The Midnight Bell,' whether it was really a translation from the German, and whether all the other novels on the list can be identified. M. H. Dodds.
Lord Grimthorpe's List of Churches.—In Cassell's 'Churches of England and Wales' I read that "Dorchester Church stands 119th in Lord Grimthorpe's list of the finest English churches." Where can I find Lord Grimthorpe's list? J. S. Potter.
Harveys of Whittington, Staffordshire.—Roger Harvey, gent., of Whittington, died 1636 (will 130 Saddler), married Dennes Loate, who mentions "her husband's ring with arms" in her will. Their children were Humphry, died unmarried, and Nicholas, father of Ursula, apparently last of the race, who married at Whittington, 1673, the Rev. Thomas Pretty, Rector of Winchfield, Hants. There are in the Heralds' College no arms of these Harveys of Staffordshire, but in Glover's 'Ordinary' and Burke's 'Armory' (1844) they are given as "Arg., on a bend sa. three trefoils slipped or." Where could Glover and Burke have got the reference for these arms? Information on the subject would be welcome. S. T.
Seymer: Burrow: Monckton.—1. Richard Seymer (or Seymour) resided at Ibberton Hall, co. Dorset, in 1768. Who were his parents, and what arms did he bear?
2. "Marianne, daughter of William Burrow of Bristol by Anne his wife, sister to Admiral John Monckton, was born at Bristol, 13 March, 1794 (bapt. at Leigh, near Bristol), and was married at Burstock, co. Dorset, 9 December, 1813." Who was William Burrow, and what was his parentage? What arms did he bear? Can any information be given concerning Admiral John Monckton? R. Vaughan Gower.
Hymn by Gladstone.—Good Words published in June, 1898, a hymn headed 'The Holy Communion' by Mr. Gladstone, supplied to the editor by Mrs. Gladstone. The hymn, very beautiful both in sentiment and expression, was written in May, 1836, and stanzas iii., iv., and v. have been set to music in 'The English Hymnal'—so Mr. D. E. Glassford says in The Homiletic Review, January, 1911. The Times printed only two stanzas after Gladstone's death.
My excuse for referring to this charming hymn is that a variant has recently come into my hands, and I am concerned to ascertain, if possible, the correct or original version. The difference occurs in the eighth stanza. Mrs. Gladstone's copy, as sent by her to Good Words, stands thus:—
When our footsteps pass away
From this House's hallowed floor:
Let us worship all the day
By a soul to Thee resigned
And by the love of human kind.
The other copy has—
Although our footsteps pass away
From this high temple's hallowed floor:
But let us worship all the day,
Showing a will to Thee resigned,
And holy love of all mankind.
On several counts the latter version is preferable to the former, but the question is, Has some alien pen ventured to make
