' Dr. Knight's letter of a few months'
earlier date was printed by Nichols in his _Literary Anecdotes_. 'I made
a visit to old Father Strype when in town last: he is turned ninety, yet
very brisk, and with only a decay of sight and memory.... He told me that
he had great materials towards the life of the old Lord Burleigh and Mr.
Foxe the martyrologist, which he wished he could have finished, but most
of his papers are in "characters"; his grandson is learning to decipher
them.' Under the dates of September 1st and 7th Oldys records that 'the
Yelverton library is in the possession of the Earl of Sussex, wherein
are many volumes of Sir Francis Walsingham's papers'; and a few days
later, 'Dr. Pepusch offered me any intelligence or assistance from his
ancient collections of music, for a history of that art and its
professors in England; and as to dramatic affairs, he notes that the
Queen's set of Plays had at first been thought too dear; but after Mrs.
Oldfield the actress died, and they were reported to be his collection,
then the Queen would have them at any rate.' When Oldys died his curious
library was purchased by Thomas Davies, and was put up to auction in
1762. The list of printed books comprises many literary treasures which
in our days can hardly be procured, but at that time went for a song.
'The manuscripts were not so many as might be expected from so
indefatigable a writer'; it seems that Oldys had always been too generous
with his gifts and loans.
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