Note 229 — ANNALS OF THE BODLEIAN LIBRARY. (continued 3)

It was chiefly from these that the two volumes published in 1841 under the title of Life, Journals, and Correspondence of S. Pepys were compiled. Unfortunately the editor, or his copyist, appears to have been sometimes unable to read the MSS., and at other times very careless; his book therefore abounds with errors. The following is one of the worst, as it libels the memory of a statesman who deserved better treatment: Sir R. Southwell is represented as saying in a letter to Pepys (vol. i. p. 282) that he has lost his health 'by sitting many years at the sack-bottle,' whereas the poor man had lost it by sitting many years 'at the inck-bottle.' A line or two farther on, Southwell's occupation with 'some care and much sorrow,' is changed into 'love, care and much sorrow.' Certain 'Novelles,' or newspapers, which Mr. Hill sends to Pepys are explained (vol. ii. p. 135) to have been the Novellæ of Justinian! Throughout the book proper names are frequently made to become anything but proper to their owners.