Patricia Köster

“ Wagstaffe come "late" (1717, 1721) and have a fairly large (i.e., normal) number of apostrophied verbs, there is no evidence here as to whether or not Pseudo-Wagstaffe is Wagstaffe; at least there is no contradiction. In the light of these facts, we can see that neither Swift nor Arbuthnot is a probable author of the Story; Swift would presumably have altered verb typography in the first and all editions, and Arbuthnot would not have altered it at all. ”

“ He, and Baconface and Haggite got into Possession, as it were, of their Lady's Estate, and carry'd it with so high a Hand, were so haughty to the Rich, and oppressive to the Poor, that they quickly began to make themselves odious; but for their better Security, they form'd a sort of Confederacy with one Dammyblood, Clumzy their Son-in-Law, Splitcause an Attorney, and Mouse a noted Ballad-Maker, and some others. As soon as they had done this, they began so to domineer, that there was no Living for those who would not compliment, or comply with them in their Villany. ”

“ Characteristically uninterested in his personal fame, Arbuthnot kept no copies of his own writings except the reissued Tables of Ancient Coins (84, 193) , associated with a favorite son. The reader revealed by this library is the same Arbuthnot whom his contemporaries admired: witty, yet thoughtful and religious; deeply learned, yet modest. His children, although less learned than the father, continued to buy books on current topics, particularly literature, history and travel. ”

“ When compared with the antiquarian books, the list of titles from the Arbuthnot estate either dated or first published [Pg viii] after the death of Dr. Arbuthnot reveals a number of differences. English is the predominant language of the late group, with French a poor second. There is another Hebrew Bible (253) , a Spanish Cervantes (25) , an Italian Machiavelli (96) , but no Greek book at all, and astonishingly only two Latin: a dictionary (89) and a Horace (147) ”

“ The Key ran through two further editions as A Complete Key to the Four Parts of Law is a Bottomless-Pit, and the Story of the St. Alban's Ghost, presumably before 31 July 1712, and came to a fifth (seemingly last) edition with a more general title referring to "all Parts" of John Bull, and still including the Story.
While the Keys by association suggest Arbuthnot as author, the only other contemporary document attributes the Story to a different physician and wit: the so-called Miscellaneous Works of Dr. William Wagstaffe (London, 1726) reprint the fourth edition of the Story. ”

“ Arbuthnot. To the extent that the claim is true, the Catalogue will be important for studies of the Scriblerian Club generally, since Arbuthnot is the member with the greatest reputation for learning. Although the contents [Pg vii] of a man's library do not correspond exactly with the contents of his mind, scholars can discover a good deal about the intellectual methods of Dr. Arbuthnot by examining the books which he owned. Until now this has not been possible; the Catalogue is a recent acquisition of the British Museum, not so much as mentioned in books thus far published about Arbuthnot. ”

“ As late as 1706 Wagstaffe could generously declare that "Woodstock's too little" a reward (Ramelies, a Poem) , but since Swift's "Bill of British Ingratitude" in the Examiner (17 November 1710) the Tory press had begun to say that the rewards were too many and too great. The Story repeats the charge that Avaro and Haggite "grew Richer than their Mistress" (p. 11) , together with the [Pg vi] ridiculous insinuations of cowardice and incompetence found constantly reiterated in the second volume of Examiners. ”

“ Here as throughout the pamphlet, the author demonstrates the virtuosity which even Swift commends. Since Swift praises few pamphlets except those written by himself and Arbuthnot (or occasionally Mrs. Manley) , the Story enters a fairly select company. It is the only Pseudo-Wagstaffe piece mentioned by name in the Journal to Stella, the only one found worthy to stand beside the productions of Swift and Arbuthnot. ”

“ She had two Daughters, one of which was marry'd to a Man who went beyond Sea; the other, her Daughter Haggite, to Avaro, whom we shall have Occasion to mention in the Sequel of this Story.
There liv'd at that Time in the Neighbourhood two Brothers, of a great Family, Persons of a vast Estate and Character, and extreamly kind to their Servants and Dependants. Haggite by her Mother's Interest, was got into this Family, and Avaro, who was afterwards her Husband, was the Huntsman's Boy. ”

“ Now just during these same months Arbuthnot was producing his first political satires, five pamphlets later gathered under the title History of John Bull. He published the first of these 4 March 1712 and the last 31 July 1712. [2] There are several thematic and methodological connections between The Story of The St. Alb-ns Ghost and the John Bull pamphlets: as Tory propaganda pieces, they attack leading Whigs and make the usual suggestions about irreligion, moral turpitude and misuse of public funds. ”

“ I have, as long as I could, assisted you in your Glorious Execrable Attempts, but Time is now no more; the Time is coming when you must be deliver'd up to Justice. As to you, O Son and Daughter, said she, turning to them, 'tis but a few revolving Moons, e'er you must both fall a Sacrifice to your Avarice and Ambition, as I have told you heretofore, but your Mistress will be too Merciful, and tho' your ready Money must be refunded, your Estate in Land will Descend onto your Heirs. ”

“ But as these Things will pass upon none but the Ignorant or Superstitious, so there are others that will believe nothing of this Nature, even upon the clearest Evidence. There are, it must be own'd, but very few of these Accounts to be depended on; some however are so palpable, and testify'd by so good Authority, by those of such undoubted Credit, and so discerning a Curiosity, that there is no Room to doubt of their Veracity, and which none but a Sceptic can disbelieve. ”

“ All the young People flock'd to have their Fortunes told, which, they say she never miss'd. She told Haggite's Husband, he should grow Rich, and be a Great Man, but by his Covetousness and Griping of the Poor, should come to an ill End. ”

“ He presumably bought or was given other works by Swift, but no others are itemized; perhaps some were in the "Large parcel of pamphlets" (1) . George Arbuthnot added a copy of The Four Last Years of Queen Anne (173) , not published until 1758.
Although literature bulks large among Arbuthnot's books, English poetry is not very conspicuous. According to some of the dates, Arbuthnot may have developed his interest in English poetry rather late in life. ”

“ These began a Reformation of all the Abuses committed by Avaro and Baconface, which discover'd such a Scene of Roguery [Pg 13] to the World, that one would hardly think the most mercenary Favourites could be guilty of. ”

“ None of these men belongs in the narrative, and only Garth was even remotely connected with the Marlboroughs, but all of them were Whigs, and in various ways serve to "demonstrate" that Whigs must be false brethren to the Church of England.
This charge, although a cliché of Tory satires, is here made indirect and witty, as are the staple charges against the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough. Whereas, however, the wickedness of nonconformity had been attacked for decades, the Duke of Marlborough had been associated with the Whigs for a relatively short time. ”

“ First of all, the compilers list a total of 2525 volumes, but they itemize only 1639, [13] and even then often give inadequate information. Furthermore, a xerox copy of the Sale Book records of the auction, very kindly sent to me by the present Messrs. Christie, Manson and Woods, shows that almost a quarter of the lots (items 53-65, 243-245, 276-372, 426) , or 999 volumes, belonged not to the Arbuthnot estate but to other owners. Finally, Dr. Arbuthnot died in 1735, whereas the auction was not held until December 1779, about three and a half months after the death of his bachelor son George. ”

“ Alb-ns Ghost has been ambiguously associated with Arbuthnot since the year of its first publication, but it does not seem to have been reprinted e the nineteenth century when editors regularly included it among the minor works of Swift. Whoever wrote it, the Story is a lively and effective Tory squib, whose narrative vigor can carry even the twentieth-century reader over the occasional topical obscurities. A Catalogue of the ... Library of ... Dr. Arbuthnot has never been reprinted at all, and appears to be unknown by scholars who have thus far written about Arbuthnot. ”

“ I know one of these Ambidexters, who never fails of Ten or Twenty Pounds more than Ordinary, by nicking something Wonderful in due Time; he often cloaths his whole Family by the Apparition of a Person lately executed at Tyburn ”

“ The Charges I have been at in getting Manuscripts, and Labour in collating them, the Reconciling the Disputes about the most material Circumstances, and adjusting the various Readings, as they have took me up a considerable Time, so I hope they may be done to the Satisfaction of my Reader. I wish I could have had Time to have distinguish'd by an Asterism the Circumstances deliver'd by Tradition only, from those of the Manuscripts, which I was advis'd to do by my worthy Friend the Reverend Mr. ”

“ Three of these dates are correct, and the other two are close, but can be corrected by consulting papers published more often. The first pamphlet seems to have appeared on 4 March 1712 (see Post-Boy of that date) , and the third may have appeared on 16 April 1712 (see the Daily Courant of 16 and 17 April; the Post-Boy, however, agrees with the Examiner on the date 17 April) . ”

“ Sherlock's discourses, Sherlock on a future state
288 Addison's works, 4 v. Suckling's works, Mills's agriculture, school of arts, 2 v. play for its interest, Rousseau's remarks, world to come, two rules for bad horsemen, and 4 others
289 Echard's gazetteer, adventures of Pomponius, English connoisseur, 2 v. Gent's history of York, 2 v. Coventry's history, travels into France and Italy, and five others
290 Prælectiones poeticæ, 2 t. ”

“ Lyttleton's dialogues of the dead, 2 v. Marmontel's moral tales, 3 v. Churchill's poems, 3 v. Byron's voyage, Scougal's life of God, Steel's Christian hero, Watts's poems, Nettleton on virtue, Charles XII. Guthrie's trial
287 Addison's evidence, Sherlock on death, religious courtship, rule of life, Doddridge's rise and progress, Gordon's young man's companion, Hammouth's works, 4 v. ”

“ Burlamaque on law, 2 v. female spectator, 4 v.
321 Hill's arithmetic, Prideaux's life of Mahomet, Miller's gardeners calendar, report of silver coins, American negociator, Smith's history of New York, [Pg 19] Law's collection of letters, Ellwood's Davidis, Senex's survey of the roads
322 Eduard's eccl. hist. 2 v. Martin's philosophical grammar microscope made easy 1 v. Boccace's Decameron, Cook's voyage, Coate's heraldry
323 Prideaux's commentaries of the Old and New Testament, 4 v. ”

“ Millii charta max. corio Morocco, lin. rub. fol. deaurat. Oxonii 1707
274 Dugdale's monasticon Anglicanum, by Stevens, 2 v. cuts, boards and uncut 1722 and 1723
275 L'antiquite explique et representee en figures et le supplement par Montfaucon. 15 t. Paris 1722
End of the Second Day's Sale.
[Pg 15]
Third Day's Sale,
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1779. OCTAVO & DUODECIMO.
276 Smollet's Don Quixote, 4 v. history of Lady Frances S——, 2 v.
277 Francis's Horace, 4 v. Sowel's Ovid, 2 v. Trapp's Virgil, 3 v. Prior's poems
278 Harvey's meditations, 2 v. beauties of history, 2 v. Plato's works, 2 v. ”

“ Sir William Temple, An Essay Upon the Original and Nature of Government (1680) .
110. John Tutchin, Selected Poems (1685-1700) .
111. Anonymous, Political Justice (1736) .
112. Robert Dodsley, An Essay on Fable (1764) .
113. T. R., An Essay Concerning Critical and Curious Learning (1698) .
114. Two Poems Against Pope: Leonard Welsted, One Epistle to Mr. A. Pope (1730) , and Anonymous, The Blatant Beast (1742) .
1965-1966
115. ”

“ Daniel Defoe and others, Accounts of the Apparition of Mrs. Veal.
116. Charles Macklin, The Covent Garden Theatre (1752) .
117. Sir Roger L'Estrange, Citt and Bumpkin (1680) .
118. Henry More, Enthusiasmus Triumphatus (1662) .
119. Thomas Traherne, Meditations on the Six Days of the Creation (1717) .
120. Bernard Mandeville, Aesop Dress'd or a Collection of Fables (1704) .
1966-1967
123. ”

“ Genevæ, 1619, and 1 more
120 Dictionaire universel de commerce, par Savary, 2 t. 1723
121 Corps universel diplomatique du droit des gens, par Dumont, 6 t. Amst. 1726
122 Le grand dictionaire historique, par Morery, 2 t. 1702
123 Bayle's historical and critical dictionary, 4 v. 1710
124 Dionysii Halicarnas. Gr. & Lat. Sylburgii, Franc. 1586
125 Platonis opera omnia, Gr. & Lat. Ficino, Franc. 1602
126 Aristotelis opera omnia, per Du Val, 2 v. Gr. & Lat. maculat. Lutet. Par. ”