as never before generally known.]

Subdued be every harsher feeling towards WOLSEY, when we contemplate
even the imperfect remains of his literary institutions which yet
survive! That this chancellor and cardinal had grand views, and a
magnificent taste, is unquestionable: and I suppose few libraries
contained more beautiful or more numerous copies of precious volumes
than his own. For, when in favour with his royal master, Henry VIII.,
Wolsey had, in all probability, such an ascendency over him as to coax
from him almost every choice book which he had inherited from his
father, Henry VII.; and thus I should apprehend, although no
particular mention is made of his library in the inventories of his
goods[302] which have been published, there can be no question about
such a character as that of Wolsey having numerous copies of the
choicest books, bound in velvet of all colours, embossed with gold or
silver, and studded even with precious stones! I conceive that his
own _Prayer Book_ must have been gorgeous in the extreme! Unhappy
man--a pregnant and ever-striking example of the fickleness of human
affairs, and of the instability of human grandeur! When we think of
thy baubles and trappings--of thy goblets of gold, and companies of
retainers--and turn our thoughts to Shakspeare's shepherd, as
described in the soliloquy of one of our monarchs, we are fully
disposed to admit the force of such truths as have been familiar to us
from boyhood, and which tell us that those shoulders feel the most
burdened upon which the greatest load of responsibility rests. Peace
to the once proud, and latterly repentant, spirit of Wolsey!

[Footnote 302: In the last _Variorum edition of Shakspeare_,
1803, vol. xv., p. 144, we are referred by Mr. Douce to "the
particulars of this inventory at large, in Stowe's
_Chronicle_, p. 546, edit. 1631:" my copy of Stowe is of the
date of 1615; but, not a syllable is said of it in the place
here referred to, or at any other page; although the account
of Wolsey is ample and interesting. Mr. Douce (_ibid._) says
that, among the _Harl. MSS._ (no. 599) there is one
entitled "An Inventorie of Cardinal Wolsey's rich householde
stuffe; temp. Hen. VIII.; the original book, as it seems,
kept by his own officers." In Mr. Gutch's _Collectanea
Curiosa_, vol. ii., 283-349, will be found a copious account
of Wolsey's plate:--too splendid, almost, for be