There is one more passage, Sir, in your letter, which I cannot answer, without putting you to new trouble-a liberty which all your indulgence cannot justify me in taking; else I would beg to know on what authority you attribute to Laurence Earl of Rochester(927) the famous preface to his father’s history, which I have always heard ascribed to Atterbury, Smallridge, and Aldridge.  The knowledge of this would be an additional favour; it would be a much greater, Sir, if coming this way, you would ever let me have the honour of seeing a gentleman to whom I am so much obliged.

(920) The Rev. Henry Zouch was the elder brother of Dr. Thomas Zouch, better known in the literary world.  Henry principally dedicated himself to the performance of his duties as a clergyman, a country gentleman and a magistrate; in all which characters he was highly exemplary.  He published several works connected with these avocations, particularly on the management of prisons, and on other points of police.  He had, also, earlier days, been a poet; and these letters show that he was well acquainted with the literary history and antiquities of his country.  Having lived in close intimacy and friendship with Mr. Walpole’s friend and correspondent, William Earl of Strafford, it is probable that through him he became interested in Mr. Walpole’s pursuits, and disposed to contribute that assistance towards the perfection of the “Catalogue of Royal and Noble authors,” which is so justly acknowledged by Mr. Walpole.  Mr. Zouch died at the family seat of sandall, in Yorkshire, of which parish he was also vicar, in June, 1795; leaving his friend and kinsman, the Earl of lonsdale, his executor, by whose favour these letters are now given to the public.  The exact time of his birth is not ascertained; but as he was an A. B. of Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1746, he probably was born about 1725.-C. [Mr. Walpole’s Letters to the Rev. Henry Zouch first appeared in the year 1805, edited by the Right Honourable John Wilson Croker; to whose notes the initial C. is affixed.]

(921) The “Catalogue of Royal and Noble Authors,” originally published by Mr. Walpole in 1758.  Mr. Zouch appears to have commenced the correspondence on the occasion of this publication.  The author of the Catalogue received much of the same kind of assistance as was given to him by Mr. Zouch; but as editor, Mr. Park, says, “it would seem that Lord Orford was more thankful for communications tendered, than desirous to let the contents of them be seen."-C.

(922) It is probable that Mr. Zouch objected to Mr. Walpole’s assertion, that the illumination prefixed to a manuscript in Lambeth library, of Earl Rivers’s translation of “The Dictes and Sayings of the Philosophers, by Jehan de Teonville,” represented the Earl introducing Caxton to Edward iv.  Mr. Zouch seems to have very properly doubted whether Caxton would wear the clerical habit, as the figure referred to in that illumination does; and Mr. Walpole replies to that doubt.  Upon the same subject, Mr. Cole says, qu. how Lord Orford came to know the kneeling figure in a clerical habit, was Caxton the printer?  He is certainly a priest, as is evident from his tonsure, but I do not think that Caxton was in orders.  I should rather suppose that it was designed for Jehan de Teonville, provost of Paris."-C.