between the author of the
_Characteristics_ and his grandfather the Chancellor. Several political
tracts, published during the latter part of Charles II.'s reign, which
have been ascribed to the first Earl of Shaftesbury, but of which,
though they were probably written under his supervision, it is extremely
doubtful that he was the actual author, are lumped together with the
_Characteristics_ as the works of one and the same Earl of Shaftesbury.

Some years ago a discovery was made in Holland of MSS. of Le Clerc, and
some notice of the MSS., and extracts from them, are to be found in the
following work:--

"De Joanne Clerico et Philippo A. Limborch Dissertationes Duae.
Adhibitis Epistolis aliisque Scriptis ineditis scripsit atque
eruditorum virorum epistolis nunc primum editis auxit Abr. Des
Amorie Van Der Hoeven, &c. Amstelodami: apud Fredericum Muller,
1843."

Two letters of Locke are among the MSS. Now it is mentioned by Mr.
Martyn, the biographer of the first Earl of Shaftesbury, in a MS. letter
in the British Museum, that some of this earl's papers were sent by the
family to Le Clerc, and were supposed not to have been returned. I
mention this, as I perceive you have readers and correspondents in
Holland, in the hope that I may possibly learn whether any papers
relating to the first Earl of Shaftesbury have been found among the
lately discovered Le Clerc MSS.; and it is not unlikely that the same
MSS. might contain letters of the third earl, the author of the
_Characteristics_, who was a friend and correspondent of Le Clerc.

W.D. CHRISTIE.

[Footnote 1: Two of these--one a letter asking the earl to stand
godfather to his son, and the other a short note, forwarding a
book (Qy. of Toland's)--are printed by Sir Henry Ellis in his
Camden volume, _Letters of Eminent Literary Men_.--ED.]

* * * * * {99}

CAXTON'S PRINTING-OFFICE.

The particular spot where Caxton exercised his business, or the place
where his press was fixed, cannot now, perhaps, be exactly ascertained.
Dr. Dibdin, after a careful examination of existing testimonies, thinks
it most probable that he erected his press in one of the chapels
attached to the aisles of Westminster Abbey; and as no remains of this
interesting place can now be discovered, there is a strong presumption
that it was pulled down in making alterations for the building of Henry
VII.'s splendid chapel.

It