contemporaries. Oldys should have been constituted the reader for the
nation. His _Comptes Rendus_ of books and manuscripts are still held
precious; but his useful and curious talent had sought the public
patronage in vain! From one of his "Diaries," which has escaped
destruction, I transcribe some interesting passages _ad verbum_.

The reader is here presented with a minute picture of those invisible
occupations which pass in the study of a man of letters. There are those
who may be surprised, as well as amused, in discovering how all the
business, even to the very disappointments and pleasures of active life,
can be transferred to the silent chamber of a recluse student; but there
are others who will not read without emotion the secret thoughts of him
who, loving literature with its purest passion, scarcely repines at
being defrauded of his just fame, and leaves his stores for the
after-age of his more gifted heirs. Thus we open one of Oldys's literary
days:--

I was informed that day by Mr. Tho. Odell's daughter, that her
father, who was Deputy-Inspector and Licenser of the Plays, died 24
May, 1749, at his house in Chappel-street, Westminster, aged 58
years. He was writing a history of the characters he had observed,
and conferences he had had with many eminent persons he knew in his
time. He was a great observator of everything curious in the
conversations of his acquaintance, and his own conversation was a
living chronicle of the remarkable intrigues, adventures, sayings,
stories, writings, &c., of many of the quality, poets, and other
authors, players, booksellers, &c., who flourished especially in the
present century. He had been a popular man at elections, and sometime
master of the playhouse in Goodman's Fields, but latterly was forced
to live reserved and retired by reason of his debts. He published two
or three dramatic pieces, one was the _Patron_, on the story of Lord
Romney.

Q. of his da. to restore me Eustace Budgell's papers, and to get a
sight of her father's.

Have got the one, and seen the other.

July 31.--Was at Mrs. Odell's; she returned me Mr. Budgell's papers.
Saw some of her husband's papers, mostly poems in favour of the
ministry, and against Mr. Pope. One of them, printed by the late Sir
Robert Walpole's encouragement, who gave him ten guineas for writing
and as much for the expense of printing it; but through his advi