Rev. BRIAN FAUSSETT* to Dr. DUCAREL.

"GOOD SIR, Heppington, July 16, 1764. "I received your favour of the 30th past, and am sorry to find by it (for I did not thoroughly know it before), that it is not in my power to congratulate you on your promotion to some of the good things vacated by Sir Edward Sympson's death †. But, I dare say, you will be no loser in the end, being happy in the patronage of a man who is both able and willing to do you service. E contrà, here sit I! My good friend, I am most sincerely sorry that I ever took orders;-nay, could I decently leave them, I declare to you, I certainly would do it; for, thank God, I can live without them; else, God help me! You know, I had great hopes of getting Ripple in exchange for my dirty Vicarage-those hopes are vanished; for, Rogers is now determined to stay in Kent. And, what yet adds to my comfort, I am again threatened with a prosecution for non-residence. Indeed, these threats are annual; nor have I much regarded them whilst my friend Lyster was well, for he always stood in the gap. But he, poor man! is going. Not that I need regard even the being deprived of the living; for, as I shewed you by my papers, which I received whilst you were here, it did not bring me 201 last year, which by no means makes me amends for the continual plague and trouble I have with it. I had, indeed, resigned it long ago, but for the two following reasons; viz. that I might possibly make an exchange; and that, after so much money laid out on my education, I might have it to say, that I was not quite without preferment. But I am heartily weary of such nominal honour! But I beg your pardon for troubling you with my paltry affairs.

I have, as you desired, spoke to Mr. Smith, the Bookseller, He tells me, that the Numbers of the Magna Britannia are to be had at Mr. Marshall's, in St. Clement's church-yard;' and that he has not yet been able to procure you Lewis's Map of the Diocese, nor knows where they can be had, being very scarce. -I may possibly meet with one; if I do, you shall have it.

"I have received the Antiquities from Colonel Sawbridge, and am greatly pleased with them. They consist of a great variety of keys, fibulæ, and matrices of seals, &c. &c. The seals are very fine, and as sharp as when they were first cut. Among them there is one with the following legend: Sigillum Officialitatis de Wengham.' I suppose, Wingham.-There is also an antient (I make no doubt, Roman) speculum. It consists of a round piece of copper, about five inches broad, finely plated

*Of University College, Oxford; M. A. 1745; F. S. A. 1763. He was Rector of Heppington near Canterbury; and was a skilful Collector of Curiosities. He died Feb. 10, 1776.

+ Sir Edward Sympson held the offices of Official Principal of the Arches Court of Canterbury; Judge of the Cinque Ports, &c. &c.

with a hard metal, much resembling silver, very highly polished. It is a little convex; the convexity shews the objects as distinctly and clearly as possible. This curiosity had been regarded as no more than the bottom of some old copper vessel; and had been long flung by as old metal. Indeed, it had no better appearance, and it met with the same disrespect from me, till I happened to perceive the silvering by its cropped edge, occasioned by my flinging it into a box of old copper. It was all over rust on both sides, but cleaned pretty easily; though there are several spots in it, which, I fear, I shall not be able to get out, being occasioned by the copper having rusted through the silvering. Besides, there are many securiculæ, or celtes, of variety of shapes and sizes, which serve to confirm me in the opinion I ever had of these instruments, viz. that they are no more nor less than carpenters' chissels; one of them is hollow like a gouge. With them are two punches, for making holes in any hard matter; they would even now serve well for that purpose. These being all of cast copper, I make no doubt of their being of British workmanship. There are also several copper heads of spears and darts, which I take to be British also. A beautiful face of the horned Bacchus. A Cupid playing on a harp, in relievo, on the handle of a brass jug, or simpulum. The blade of a British sword: it is of brass, gilded, and about two feet long. A beautiful sepulchral lamp. A stylus. Two tessaræ signatoriæ, very perfect. Two lachrymatories; and a small glass urn, &c. &c. &c. and above forty pateras, urns, &c. chiefly of the fine red earth, and impressed with the potter's name. These things, added to my own collection, make some figure, I will assure you; and the owner of them wishes for nothing so much as to give Dr. Ducarel a sight of them.

"I have as yet seen neither Mr. Hasted, nor his Friend, whom he promised to bring hither, to take my farm. I expect to see Jacob every day, having just heard that his wife was brought to bed of a brave boy two days ago—I have told Mr. Beauvoir of what you mentioned in your last.-Mrs. Faussett joins in best wishes, &c. &c. to yourself and Mrs. Ducarel, with, dear Sir, "Your much obliged humble servant, BR. FAUSSETT." "DEAR SIR, Canterbury, Sept. 13, 1764. "Having been in daily expectation of seeing you and your friends at Heppington, I deferred answering your last. But, as August is now past and gone, my hopes of your company are vanished with it. I therefore no longer deny myself the pleasure of paying my respects to you, though I am not worth a frank for their conveyance.

"Coming hither this morning, the first thing I heard of was poor Mr. Forster's death. He had, for some time past, been much better; and his friends hoped he would fairly recover. But he was taken yesterday afternoon with a sleeping fit, from which he could not be entirely roused; and died this morning about six. The bell is now going for him; and, as I have

known

known him long, and am no stranger to his virtues, and the goodness of his heart, affects me more than I could have imagined, considering I had not the happiness of an intimate acquaintance with him; which, however, I think I was, as it were, deterred from by an awe impressed on my young clay (pardon the coxcombical expression) on hearing his Catechetical Lectures at University College many years ago; and which I never could, somehow, erase enough to persuade myself but that he was something very much my superior, though, by his calling on me now and then in his rides, he seemed, as it were, to invite me to be less reserved. So strong is a prejudice of this kind, early received! But, my dear Friend, I grow grave; so will say no more on this subject, lest I should, insensibly, be more so.

"I have lately added greatly to my Collection, by the acquisition of a very fine mummy (a present from my friend Mussell) and an almost alto-relievo of Canute the Dane, lately found with its face downward, and covered with mortar, in the middle of a very thick wall belonging to the building where your office is kept, in the Mint-yard. This building was the Aulu Hospitum, or place for the entertainment of strangers, before the dissolution of the Monastery; and is certainly (as you well know) a piece of Norman Architecture. You will, therefore, I hope agree with me in looking upon this piece of carving as a valuable piece of Antiquity. Mr. Mussell also brought me down about 600 copper, Roman, &c. Coins. But, as my collection is now grown pretty large, I shall not be able to find among them many worth laying by, except about a score of very fine Greek Medals, among which is a fine African Gordian. He has also brought me six Saxon sticas; but these I have not yet seen, they being sent with his baggage to Ramsgate.

"I am just going to eat venison with some of my friends (such as they are) here. The best sauce to it that I can possibly expect will be some hodge-podge disquisitions on horses, dogs, hunting, shooting, &c.; but, as it is my misfortune not to be a sportsman, it is odds that it will not be cooked to my palate. But I must bear with it, or live alone.--But, why do I snarl?-You, my Friend, are a Cynic!-I shall certainly drink your health.

"I hope to be in town in about a month, when I will give myself the pleasure of waiting on you. In the mean time, I rest Your much obliged humble servant, BR. FAUSSETT." "DEAR SIR, Heppington, Oct. 2, 1764. "I had your last, and only waited for a friend's going to London, whom I would have gotten to carry my letter, otherwise I had answered it sooner. But, as his journey is deferred, I should count myself inexcusable if I any longer deferred paying my respects to you.

"I most heartily and sincerely congratulate you on your new preferment; which I had, however, not heard a single word of till I received your last favour. Mr. Beauvoir never mentioned

it to me; I imagine he did not think of it when we have met, en passant; and, I think, I have not been in company with him since you were here.

"The Traders are safely reserved for you against your coming, which I shall impatiently expect, and hope you will bring at least one of your learned Colleagues with you

"I have not seen Mr. Hasted since; nor have I heard from that friend of his, who he was so sure would hire Street-end. However, if I could be sure of the pleasure of your company, and knew the time of your Visitation, I would desire him to meet you at Philippi. I am, dear Sir, with much respect,

"Your obliged humble servant, &c. BR. FAUSSETT. "Mrs. Byrche is ill of the measles. Sir Thomas Hales has made me a present of some curious copies, in glass, of antique Seals."

"DEAR SIR,

Heppington, Jan. 18, 1765. "I am much obliged to you for your kind present of very fine oysters, which, together with your last favour, I had acknowledged the reeeipt of before now, but for the following reasons.

"On the day I wrote last to you I waited (as I thought myself obliged to do) on the Archdeacon, who read to me the contents of the Archbishop's letter, so far as concerned me; and put a much more favourable construction on them than I even now think they will bear, viz. that he only wanted to be informed whether I would do the duty myself, or keep a Curate;' desired my answer, which he would send to the Archbishop that day, and advised me to write to him myself. I did so; but neither the Archdeacon nor myself have had any answer as yet.

"I have also been in treaty with Mr. Cowland, for my land; and imagined we should have come to an agreement, very advantageous and convenient for us both; but, I fear, we are now as far off as ever, on account of the rent of my own farm at home. The result of both these matters I wished to have been able to inform you of; and has been the occasion of my silence, which had otherwise been inexcusable.

"I thank you for your information with regard to Mr. Mussell's sales; and must depend on you only for early notice of them, as soon as the times are fixed,-as, also, for a catalogue as soon as they come out. For, please God I am well, I intend to be in town, at the time of the sale of the Coins at least.

"I am very glad to find, by yours, that you are recovered from your inflammation in your eyes. I thank God, I am well. Mrs. Faussett, and sister, join me in compliments and best wishes. I am, Sir, your much obliged humble servant,

BR. FAUSSETT. "Please to accept the underwritten solution of the Colchester inscription, till I can furnish you with a better. If you will send me any others, you will much oblige me.

* Tradesmen's Tokens, which Dr. Ducarel collected largely.

"Numinibus
Augusti

Et Mercurio Deo,
Andescocius
Vovicola, Miles

11. Cohortis Æliæ, Severi

Plinii Libertus,

Aram, Opere

Marmore

De suo dedit."

"DEAR SIR, Heppington, Nov. 13, 1767. "I received your favour last night; and, by my Son (whoir Mrs. Faussett and self are going to accompany this afternoon as far as Ospringe) have sent you as many rockets as I can well spare, they being off-sets from the only five roots I have in my garden, having lost many by the wetness of this unaccountable year. I wish you much happiness in your new dwelling, where I will not fail to wait on you when I come to town. I have had the good luck to save three out of the eight strawberry roots: one of them has now fruit upon it. I have lately dug up some very fine glass urns; a fine fibula, set with garnets; a chrystal ball; two pair of amethyst ear-rings; many beads; a Roman Lady's equipage, or etwee, (consisting of an ear-picker, tooth-picker, &c. all of silver, and strung upon a little silver chain) a large and curious ivory comb, many silver rings, &c. &c. &c. having opened, in all, fifty-four tumuli for them. I had almost forgot to mention four Coins, viz. one of Gallienus, one of Probus, and two of Constantine the Great. I have not yet done with this spot (which is on Barham Down); but, please God I live, will at it again in the Spring. You know, this is my hobby horse! I congratulate you also on your new acquisition of modern medals. I am for the ancient ones; 'cum nova tot quærunt, non nisi prisca peto." I write, as you may see, in much haste. Jacob and I will drink your health to night at Henfreys. So adieu! "I am yours, &c. most sincerely, BR. FAUSSETT.

"P. S. I had like to have forgotten to tell you, that, about ten days ago, an ancient stone cross (such as you have seen on the gable-heads of churches) was discovered in a garden near St. Martin's church in Canterbury. On one side is exsculpt a word which we cannot yet make out; but is, no doubt, the name of a On the other side is insculpt four words, which, like the former, being made up of barbarous monkish letters, of no particular alphabet, puzzled me out of my patience; but, at length, our friend Beauvoir unriddled them; and they are no more nor less than and Alys his wife. Say nothing. Our President is to try if he can make them out."

man.