mentions another of these books, which he cumstances,-and Harley and Cotton, D'Ewes describes as a paper book in 8vo., bound and Evelyn, Thoresby and Le Neve, owe longwise, being one of those which the Ger- their places in the order of literature to mans call Albums, and are much used by the worthier labors. As, however, knowledge young travellers of that nation :”—an evidence became more widely diffused, and intellectual that they had now become more popular. tastes ceased to be the peculiar appanage of "In England," continues good Mr. Wanley, the learned, an interest in the autographs of who has evidently the true spirit of the col- eminent persons would be likely to increase lector, "there may be good use made of these also; and this we find gradually to have been books by the original hands of foreigners of the case. As the last century wore on, the the highest quality, noblemen, ladies, learn- practice of collecting autographs began to be ed and otherwise eminent personages, whose more general, and to set up for itself as a hands cannot otherwise be come at." At separate and distinct intellectual hobby, though length, we as have said, the practice be- even then it scarcely penetrated much below came so common as to lose its prestige and antiquaries in their nonage and dilettanti men be laughed at. In St. Evremond's play of of "parts." About this time Dr. Macro accu"Sir Politick Wouldbee" we find a dialogue mulated an extensive and fine collection; and between a German gentleman and the wife of Sir William Musgrove grubbed together two that knight, in which the former explains to volumes of signatures, which (fortunately in the Lady, that in his country travellers who company with two volumes of the letters from claim the distinction of men of letters invaria- which he had given himself the trouble of cutbly provide themselves, in addition to a Guide ting them) he bequeathed to his country. Book and an Itinerary, with a book of blank The sale of the well-known library of Mr. leaves, handsomely bound, called "Album Bindley unlocked some good things of the Amicorum," and make a point always on visit- same kind, collected during the later years of ing the savans of the places on their route to the century; and so did the more recent dispresent it to them for their signatures. "There persion of the collections of Strawberry Hill. is nothing," he adds, "we are not prepared to Mr. John Thane, about this time, gave proof do to procure their hands, conceiving it to be of increasing taste on the part of the ignorant, as curious as instructive to have seen these by the publication, for their use, of the welllearned people who make a noise in the world, known "British Autography," (which, after and to possess a specimen of their writing." maintaining a high price for many years, The Lady, who is evidently not a collector, came into the cheap market in 1847); and inquires with some surprise, "Is that the only Ireland, in his eighteenth year, evidenced the use you make of your book?" and the Ger- fallibility of the wise by the successful perpeman admits another, which, if not altogether tration of the Shakspeare Forgeries. With relevant to our purpose, is at least amusing. the earlier years of the present century the "It is also," he says, "of the utmost use to us autograph-collecting hobby continued to inin our drinking bouts; for when all the ordi- crease in popularity among the intelligent; nary toasts have been exhausted, we take our and by throwing out offshoots of less exacting "Album Amicorum," and reviewing the great intellectual requirements attained even the men who have been so obliging as to inscribe honors of fashion. Albums, a sort of illegititheir names there, drink their healths copi-mate offspring of the parent taste, requiring ously." nothing but a good-natured circle of friends In justice to these jovial collectors of the with a knowledge of penmanship, came into sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, it may vogue again; and frank-collecting (among be proper to add that their Albums, various collecting manias that genuine "esprit de ceux specimens of which are now in the British qui n'en ont pas," as Voltaire said of punning), Museum, seldom exceeded six inches in became to people of large correspondence the length; and present, in this respect, a favor- nuisance of the day. Shops for the sale of able contrast to the bulky volumes which, as autographs began now to be common, and the men of letters know to their cost, represented fac-simile of the signature became a necessary among ladies some twenty years ago, as a illustration to every engraved portrait. Mr. fashionable hobby, the filigree work and poti- Thorpe's Catalogues and Mr. Evans's auctions chomanie of to-day. The habit of keeping gave further evidence of the advancing tastes. Albums had, by this time, long outgrown Mr. Stephen Collet and Mr. D'Israeli pubthe taste in which it had originated; and lished Essays on the subject; so did the autograph collecting formed, and continued to "Literary Souvenir," and some of the Magaform for many years, merely a branch of the zines; Messrs. Smith & Nichols gave to the pursuits of the antiquary. The names, there- world their valuable "Fac-similes of Autofore, with which it is associated in the seven- graphs of Royal, Noble, Learned and Remarkteenth and earlier part of the eighteenth able Persons;" and Mr. Upcott set all the century, will be familiar to us from other cir- collectors burrowing in waste paper by the

discovery and rescue of the Evelyn collec- to assist him "two gentlemen in the office tions. and two messengers," who, to quote the eviHarvest-time at last came down upon the dence again, "were no more acquainted with collector. In the years 1838 and 1839 auto- the value of records than he was.' With the graphs, which had been regarded as extreme congenial assistance of these involuntary antirarities, began to turn up in shops and at quaries, (who, by the way, were paid extra sales in considerable numbers. Treasury by the country for their want of knowledge,) warrants, with the royal sign-manual and the "examination" proceeds swimmingly, and illustrious signatures, and receipts for monies is thus described by Mr. Bulley himself:from the Exchequer, from distinguished men

that

This duty having been satisfactorily accomplished, the mutilated documents (with the exception of a comparatively small portion preserved, either through the compunction of the operators or the advice of casual visitors who do know something about records) are packed off to a fishmonger in Hungerford Market, who buys them as waste paper for 80l., and here,-unless we may except some which Government

was subsequently fortunate enough to repurchase at MS. prices,—we lose them and see them no more, save in the sale catalogues of the auctioneer and the portfolio of the amateur.

of every class and age from the days of the "The Papers, after they were taken out of the Tudors, became comparatively common. boxes, were placed in a secure place to be dried; Doubts arose and inquiries followed; until it took sometimes a fortnight or three weeks to the ferment was set at rest by the appoint- dry the papers; they were spread out; then they ment, in the Session of 1840, of "a Select were taken up stairs into the room at which the Committee of the House of Lords to inquire gentlemen performed their duty. I gave direc into the Destruction and Sale of Exchequer tions, and I believe they were complied with Documents." The melancholy fate of these every paper should be opened, and spread valuable records will be perhaps pretty gene-accumulated a sufficient number to enable them open upon the table, and then, when they had rally remembered; but it exhibits in so edify- to destroy them, they tore off nearly half the ́ ing a manner a section of that administration sheet upon which the writing was." of the public business which we are now bestirring ourselves to find some means of reforming, that a retrospect of its details, at this time, may prove alike interesting and useful. We first find these papers-a motley mass of valuable historical and archæological matterLetters of Henry the Eighth, and Lists of People touched "and cured" for the Evil, Correspondence of the Leicesters and the Burghleys of Queen Elizabeth, and statements of the names and offences of prisoners in the Tower, Records of the Commonwealth and the Salaries of its Senators, and Memorials of the Restoration, and "Mrs. Gwyn's" receipts for her pensions-heaped together in a fine moral disorder, rotting on the sloppy floor of the vaults under Somerset House! "A great part totally destroyed by damp, and the remainder rapidly decomposing," is the description given of them by Mr. Frederick Devon, then a clerk in the Record Office, in the letter by which he drew the attention of Government to the subject in May 1837. In the following year-there is no need for hurry in these matters-we find an examination of such of the "remainder" as had not superseded the necessity by decomposing in the interim, ordered to be made,-not by an officer of the Of the useful services rendered by the AuRecord department or the State Paper Office, tograph Collector in this matter,—and but for whose business it was to know something him it w uld never have seen the light,—as about such matters, but by "Ashburnham generally in the discovery and preservation of Bulley, Esquire, Chief Clerk in the Comptrol- important documents, it is impossible to speak ler-General's Department of the Exchequer," too highly. Scarcely a work of history or who, for this purpose, has them removed to a biography has been undertaken in modern room in his office. The right man, of course, times, for which he has not preserved or disin the right place! Never having been pre-covered a record or a fact. But for him, the viously, in the most remote degree," in the cherished memorials of the tastes and times of habit of investigating records, (we quote Mr. gentle John Evelyn would have served only Bulley's own frank admission of his capa- as pattern papers for ancient ladies' spencers; bilities for the task which he had undertaken,) and the Great Charter itself, after securing it is natural that that gentleman should seek the liberties of the nation, would have finished aid elsewhere; and with this view he calls in its days ignobly, as a tailor's measure. Some

It would be some satisfaction to know, after the disclosures thus obtained, what practical measures were adopted for the protection of this portion of the public property for the future; but we have no reason to suppose that any such have been taken: though a general regulation that no collections of papers shall be disposed of or destroyed by any of the public departments, except upon a certificate from the State Paper Office, that they contain no documents or records of public interest, would probably be sufficient for the purpose.

M. Bougainville did not return home till gradually calming grief, before the crucifix in about ten o'clock in the evening. The family her bedroom.

were in bed, with the exception of Eugénie, The civil marriage was arranged to take whose anxiety was deepened by the pale ex-place on the following Thursday, the conditions citement of her father's countenance.

66

Eugénie, my girl," he said, after a few unsuccessful whiff's at the pipe she presented him with, "come nearer to me; I would speak with thee."

"I am listening, father," sald Eugénie, seating herself behind her father.

"Bertin cannot assist us, but

of settlement to be signed at the office of the notary, Bertin, on the previous evening. These arrangements, at M. Fontanes's urgent request, Eugénie remaining entirely passive, were kept scrupulously secret; and so successfully, that even Henri Jomard had no suspicion of what was going on, till the Wednesday morning, Eugé- when he chanced to overhear some disjointed nie, it is necessary, above all, that we should be sentences of a conversation between M. Fonfrank and open with each other. Henri Jo-tanes and the notary's clerk, who had called at mard loves thee; there can be no doubt of that. the Rue Dupetit-Thouars, which terminated by He is a well-principled brave lad, of fair pros- M. Fontanes saying in a low voice: "Tell pects too, and the son of a brave father, who Monsieur Bertin I will send him the required fell by my side at Eylau. There is no one particulars in writing before two o'clock. Aswith whom I would more readily trust thy hap-tonished and indignant at what he apprehended piness. But thou hast never, I think, shown the partially overheard colloquy to mean, he, any open decided preference for him."

"Never-by words.

M. Bougainville winced, but went on to say: "That being so, I may tell thee that Monsieur Paul Fontanes Ah! the name shocks thee I will speak of him and his offers no more."

"Yes, yes, dear father," murmured Eugénie. "It was a sudden, a slight pain; that is all. Go on-speak."

as soon as possible, invented an excuse for going out, and hastened to impart the dire dis covery to his sister Adèle, who, however, proved obstinately incredulous. His interpre tation of the sentences he had imperfectly caught was, she persisted, that of an unreasoning jealousy. M. Fontanes had, her brother knew, a pecuniary transaction with M. Bougainville, and it was no doubt with reference to that the two were to meet at the notary's, "As thou wilt. Monsieur Fontanes, then, as the conversation seemed to intimate. Some solicits thee in marriage. If his proposal is what calmed by this consolatory construction accepted, he will pay all thy father's debts, of the menacing words, Henri returned to his purchase Plaisance of that tiger-hearted Mes-employment. There was no one in the clerks' seroy, and settle it upon thee beyond his own office, and M. Fontanes was busy writing in control." Eugénie did not answer, and M. Bou- his private room. Something presently occur gainville added, after a few moments' silence: red which rendered it necessary that Henri The case stands thus. Eugénie, Monsieur should speak with him; and as he did so, his Fontanes is rich, generous, young, well-looking, of irreproachable character, and it is plain loves thee deeply. I doubt not, therefore, that after a time, thou wouldst be a happy wife; but it is for thee to decide; and my blessing, beloved Eugénie, is on thy choice, whether for acceptance or refusal."

"For acceptance, then!" replied Eugénie in a low voice, the firmness of which surprised as much as it pleased M. Bougainville; "but with this change in the terms of the pur-of the contract- that Plaisance be settled not upon me, but upon you, Françoise, and Marie."

eye fell upon a small pile of letters enclosed and directed, but not sealed, of which the topmost one was addressed to " M. Bertin, Notairepublic, Numéro 9, Rue Sablonière." Instantly the criminal thought, which only his excessive mental agitation could in the least excuse, sug gested itself, that if he could obtain a moment's possession of that letter before it was sealed, the doubts which half distracted him would be one way or the other set at rest; and the pos sibility of effecting his object kept him for the next ten minutes in a state of feverish restlessness. The chance at length presented itself. The presence of M. Fontanes was reM. Bougainville was charmed with this ready quired in a distant part of the warehouse; acquiescence; and when Eugénie made no ob- his back was hardly turned, before Henri Jojection to M. Fontanes's request, that the mar- mard darted into the private cabinet, seized riage should be celebrated without delay, he the top letter of the pile, and extricated the almost persuaded himself that he had been mis-enclosure from the envelope. Confusion! A taken with respect to the sentiments she entertained towards Henri Jomard. That pleasing illusion would have been dispelled had he known that Eugénie passed that night on her knees, weeping, at first with convulsive, but

and

glance at the address shewed him he had mistaken the letter, the envelope in his hand being addressed to Messrs. Smith and Green, New Orleans. Had he but unfolded the enclosure, what a discovery awaited him! Un

"I doubt, Monsieur Fontanes, whether I shall proceed at all. It seems to me that the nuptial conditions in a pecuniary sense, are grossly one-sided and partial"

"Monsieur Bertin," interrupted M. Fontanes with dignity, and greatly relieved, "that is my affair, not yours. The balance of obligation is, in my own opinion, greatly on my side," added the young merchant, with a respectful bow to Eugénie.

fortunately he threw it impatiently upon the regarded him-" have the goodness to proceed table, and seized the next upon the pile, which as quickly as possible." was that he sought. Could he believe his eyes? "M. Fontanes, upon reflection, acquiesced in the change proposed by M. Bertin in the marriage contract, and would be at the notary's office punctually at five o'clock to meet M. and Mademoiselle Bougainville." Henri Jomard had hardly perused these lines, when the step of M. Fontanes was heard approaching. He hurriedly thrust the letters into their respective envelopes, replaced them on the letter-pile, and had barely regained the curtained concealment of the clerks' office when the merchant returned. In about ten minutes, M. Fontanes summoned a porter, gave him a number of letters, some for the post-office, others for delivery in St. Malo; and shortly afterwards, himself went out, saying, as he passed through the counting-house that he should not return till the following morning.

"That is precisely my opinion, also," rejoined the imperturbable notary," Mademoiselle Bou gainville being at the present moment a rich heiress in her own right."

A bomb-shell falling in the midst, could not have produced a more startling effect than these words, which caused every one of the auditors, Henri Jomard included, to start to their feet in various attitudes of astonishment and consternation.

Eugénie Bougainville, as she alighted at the notary's door, in company with her father and "This information," continued the notary, Françoise her half-sister, looked charmingly," reached me only about two hours since, and, though very pale, and trembling with agita- strangely enough, Monsieur Fontanes, from tion. M. Fontanes had preceded her; and by you. A letter certainly in your handwriting, his respectfully kind and unpretending man- and addressed to me on the cover, but the ner seemed, after a time, to soothe and calm contents of which were intended for Messrs. her spirits, and the sweet, grateful, if faint Smith and Green of New Orleans "smile with which she acknowledged his unob "Malediction!" screamed M. Fontanes. trusive courtesies, was an earnest that if the "Can it be possible-that I-that I!"marriage should turn out unhappily, it would "That you misdirected the letters," sugnot be the fault of the wife, however reluct-gested M. Bertin; no doubt of it.-It appears, antly she accepted M. Fontanes as a husband. Mademoiselle Bougainville," he added," that M. Bertin was apparently about to commence by your uncle's will, the contents of which the reading the marriage contract, when an un- last American mail made known to your very seemly and distressing interruption took place. disinterested suitor, that you are the absolute Henri Jomard, spite of the strenuous opposi- mistress of about seven hundred thousand tion of a clerk, forced his way, in a state of francs! If, under these circumstances, you wild excitement, into the office, and forthwith wish me to proceed" burst into a torrent of invective and entreaty, of bitter reproach and humblest solicitation, to which passion and despair lent fire and eloquence. Uselessly so! Eugénie was indeed terribly agitated by his frenzied violence, but did not for a moment swerve in resolution, and she was the first, though with white quivering lips, to request that the business which had brought Henri Jomard must, in his hurry and conthem there might be proceeded with. M. fusion, have changed the envelopes of the two Fontanes, who appeared both alarmed and letters: that addressed to Smith and Green angry, wished the audacious intruder to be ex-being consequently delivered to the notary. I pelled by force, but at a gesture from the have only, in conclusion, to state, that Fonnotary, who had been silently observant of tanes was arrested at Hâvre-de-Grace, on what was passing, he desisted, drew near the board of an American liner, and is now undertable, and seated himself beside Mademoiselle Bougainville; whilst Henri Jomard, throwing himself into a chair, wept aloud in the bitterness of unavailing grief and rage.

"Henri-dear Henri!" gasped Eugénie, turning with outstretched arms towards her lately despairing lover. "Henri-believe."But I have no words for the description of the scene which followed; the reader's imagination can alone realize its tumult of rapture, bewil derment, and despair.

going the punishment of a fraudulent bankrupt; that Eugénie is Madame Jomard, and a happy wife and mother; that the Sieur Bou gainville still inhabits Plaisance with his two "Now, Monsieur Bertin," said M. Fontanes, daughters, and to this day remains firmly of who, spite of himself, cowered beneath the opinion, that the misdirection of the letter was keen, derisive look, it so seemed, with which due to the actual interposition of Eugénie's the notary, as he slowly unrolled the contract, ever-watchful ange gardien !

SIR JOHN FRANKLIN AND THE ARCTIC

EXPEDITION.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.

rested his progress, and he found it, in conformity to his instructions, by acting on the theoretical convictions which Sir John Richardson has shown to be deliberately entertained.

SIR-I beg to place in your hands for publica- "Convinced, Sir, that it must be your desire, tion, the letter addressed by Lady Franklin to and that of the hon. members of the committee, the Chairman of the Arctic Committee, to which to do justice to the dead, while you duly and special allusion has been made, in the report of generously honor the living, and believing that the committee, printed in the columns of the these two objects do not clash, but may be harEvening Mail of yesterday, and to add that I be-moniously combined, I have presumed thus to lieve the evidence of some of the principal wit-address you, I trust you will pardon the widow nesses heard before the committee amply corrobo- and the friend this last effort in behalf of those rates the claim made by Lady Franklin on behalf who have nobly perished. of her husband's expedition.

I am, Sir, your obedient servant.

Aug. 11.

memory.

G. BAL.

“ 60, Pall-mall, July 5.

"I have the honor to be, Sir,
"Your obedient servant,
"JANE FRANKLIN.

"To the Chairman of the Arctic Select Committee."

"SIR,-I venture to trespass a few minutes upon your time and that of the committee over NAPOLEON'S "DESCENTE EN ANGLETERRE " which you preside in behalf of the claims of my MEDAL.-When Buonaparte meditated the inlate husband, Sir John Franklin, and his com-vasion of England, a die was prepared under the panions, as connected with the object you have direction of M. Denon to commemorate the sucunder discussion. cess of the undertaking. The device was Her"When it is remembered that these brave and cules strangling a sea monster: the legend was unfortunate men, after years of intense suffering “Descente en Angleterre," and in the exergue and privation, were found dead of starvation "Frappée à Londres." The die, in this state, upon a spot which they could not have reached was never hardened; and whatever impressions without having first solved that geographical were taken off, were in soft metal. When Buoproblem which was the object and aim of all naparte issued his Berlin and Milan decrees, by these painful efforts; and when it is also remem- which he expected to ruin the commerce of Engbered that they are beyond the reach of their land, and exclude this country from all intercountry's rewards, you will not, I think, refuse course with the Continent, the die was brought them the acknowledgment that is due to their out of its repose. The "Frappée à Londres," being in small letters, was easily obliterated: "It would ill become me, and it is far, indeed the same was attempted with the legend, and from my wish, to attempt to question the claims "Toto divisos orbe Britannos was substituted. of Captain M'Clure to every honor his country The die was then hardened, and medals struck; may think proper to award him. That enter- but under the present legend may be seen the prising officer is not the less the discoverer of a traces of some of the letters of the original lenorth-west passage, or, in other words, of one of gend. How many of the soft metal impressions those links which was wanted to connect the were struck, I could never ascertain. When I main channels of navigation already ascer- applied to Droz, the die engraver, for a specitained by previous explorers, because the Ere-men, he assured me that all had been delivered bus and Terror, under my husband had pre-to M. Denon. When I applied to him, he wishviously, though unknown to Captain M'Clure, ed me to believe that I had been misinformed, discovered another and more navigable pas- and that no such medal had been struck or in sage that passage, in fact, which, if ever contemplation. ships attempt to push their way from one One of these medals is certainly in England; ocean to the other, will assuredly be the one it was purchased at Paris, I believe, by Mr. Miladopted. And it can never be denied to Captain lingen, for Dr. Burney, with whose entire collec M'Clure that he is the first who has by his own tion it passed to Mr. Charles Stokes: after this skill, and mainly by the timely assistance of the gentleman's death the collection was dispersed, brave men who were in search of him, made his but the medal in question was reserved by his individual way from one ocean to the other. Such nephew and executor, Mr. Hughes, in whose a transit, though not the object which has engag-possession it now remains. I have casts in coped the attention of the civilized world for centuries, is a distinction of which any man may well be proud.

"What I presume to claim for those who can urge nothing for themselves is the first discovery of a navigable passage for ships in that unknown space which lay between the discoveries of former navigators, for to such connecting channel has the solution of the geographical problem for many years past been reduced. My husband was specially warned by his instructions not to seek it in the quarter where the Investigator lies, lest impenetrable ice should, as was anticipated, ar

per from two originals: one was made from that then in Mr. Stokes's collection; the other was given to me by a French artist.

When Sir Edward Thomason stated that one had been lent to him by the Duke of Wellington, he probably forgot to mention that it was only in a dream, and that when he awoke the medal was no longer in his possession. In his copy the portrait of Buonaparte is not the same which was struck upon the soft metal originals. One was by Droz, the other by Jouffroy.

Notes and Queries.

EDW. HAWKINS.