and
political manuscripts, and comprised, among other collections, one
hundred and twenty-one volumes of the papers and miscellaneous
correspondence of Lord Burghley, including his private note-book and
journal, which had formerly been in the hands of Strype the historian.
The library also contained a considerable portion of the important
collection of State papers amassed by Sir Julius Caesar, Master of the
Rolls in the reign of James I.; the historical collections of White
Kennet, Bishop of Peterborough, which amounted to a hundred and seven
volumes, many of them being in the bishop's handwriting; the heraldic
and genealogical collections of Segar, St. George, Dugdale, Le Neve, and
other heralds; and some valuable legal, topographical, musical, biblical
and classical manuscripts. The collection of manuscripts, which amounted
to one thousand two hundred and forty-five volumes, was acquired in 1807
by the Trustees of the British Museum for the sum of four thousand nine
hundred and twenty-five pounds. The printed books, among which were many
valuable topographical works and some rare volumes of English
literature, numbered about twenty thousand. They were sold by Leigh and
Sotheby in 1806, and together with the maps, charts, books of prints,
etc., realised over eight thousand three hundred and fifty pounds. The
Marquis, who collected pictures and sculpture as well as books, died on
the 7th of May 1805, at the age of sixty-eight, and was succeeded by his
son John Henry.

TOPHAM BEAUCLERK, 1739-1780

The Honourable Topham Beauclerk was the only son of Lord Sydney
Beauclerk, and a grandson of the first Duke of St. Albans. He was born
in 1739, and on the death of his father in 1744 succeeded to the estates
which Lord Sydney had inherited from Mr. Richard Topham, M.P. for
Windsor. In 1757 Beauclerk matriculated at Trinity College, Oxford, but
seems to have left the University without taking a degree. While he was
at Oxford he made the acquaintance of Dr. Johnson, who appears to have
been greatly attracted to him on account of his wit and conversation.
This intimacy surprised many of Johnson's friends, for although
Beauclerk valued science and literature, he was also gay and dissipated.
'What a coalition,' said Garrick, when he heard of it, 'I shall have my
old friend to bail out of the Round-house.' Notwithstanding somewhat
frequent squabbles, the friendship lasted for upwards of twenty years,
and on Beauclerk's dea