een volumes (more or less) in fol., all in my own hand;
and three volumes in 4to., part in my own hand." Let us
conclude in a yet more exalted strain of christian piety
than we began. "Lastly, I constitute and appoint my dear
nephew, Richard Burton, Esq., my sole executor, to whom I
leave every thing undisposed of, which I hope will be enough
to reward his trouble. May God Almighty bless him, and give
him all the engaging qualities of his father, all the
vertues of his mother, and none of the sins or failings of
his uncle, which God knows are great and many:--and humbly,
O my God, I call for mercy! In testimony of this my will, I
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this 15th day of
October, 1739.

THO. BAKER.

And now, O my God, into thy hands I contentedly resign
myself: whether it be to life or death, thy will be done!
Long life I have not desired (and yet thou hast given it
me). Give me, if it be thy good pleasure, an easy and happy
death. Or if it shall please thee to visit me sorely, as my
sins have deserved, give me patience to bear thy correction,
and let me always say (even with my dying breath) Thy will
be done, Amen, Amen." Subjoined was this curious memorandum:
"At the making of this will, I have, in the corner of my
outer study, next my chamber, 170 guineas; and on the other
side of the study towards the river, 100 guineas, more or
less, in several canvass bags, behind the shelves, being
more secret and hidden, to prevent purloyning. One or more
of the shelves markt G. among the latter is a five pound
(Jacobus) piece of gold."]

LOREN. Never fear. He is an old acquaintance of mine; for, when
resident at St. John's, Cambridge, I was frequently in the habit of
conversing with his spirit in the library, and of getting curious
information relating to choice and precious volumes, which had escaped
the sagacity of his predecessors, and of which I fear his successors
have not made the most proper use.

PHIL. This is drawing too severe a conclusion. But Baker merits the
thanks of a book-loving posterity.

LYSAND. He is satisfied with this mention of his labours; for see, he
retreats--and THEOBALD[374] and Tom Rawlinson rush forward to claim a
more marked attention: although I am not much disposed to draw a
highly finished picture of the editor of Shakespeare.

[Fo