{Venice Preserved = a well-known play by Otway, written in 1682}

"That name, Otway?--Well, to my mind it is as much like Genghis
Khan."

"Oh, my lord!--Thomas Otway clearly--signatures are always more or
less confused.

"Well, have it your own way.--It may be Tom, Dick, or Harry for all I
care," said the youth, stretching himself preparatory to a visit to his
kennels; and such was his indifference to this literary treasure that
he readily gave it to his tutor. In those days, few lords were literary.

Mr. Lumley's delight at this discovery, was very much increased by
the fact that he was at that moment anxious to bring out an edition
of the English Tragedians of the seventeenth century. The lives of
several of these authors had been already written by him, and he
was at that moment engaged on that of Otway. A noted publisher
had taken the matter into consideration, and if the undertaking gave
promise of being both palatable to the public, and profitable to
himself, a prospectus was to be issued. Now here was a little tit-bit
which the public would doubtless relish; for it was beginning to feel
some interest in Otway's starvation, the poet having been dead half
a century. It is true that the signature of the poor starving author,
whoever he may have been, was so illegible that it required some
imagination to see in it, the name of Otway, but Mr. Lumley had
enough of the true antiquarian spirit, to settle the point to his own
entire satisfaction. The note was accordingly introduced into the life
of Otway, with which the learned tutor was then engaged. The work