SHARPE S PEERAGE.
WE were really not aware that a Peerage was wanted. The pro- prietors of DEBRETT slept over their successive editions, and not feeling the stimulus of rivalry, permitted a multitude of inaccu- racies to creep in. These were exposed in several quarters ; and the result was another Peerage—nay, two—in lieu of DEBRETT, we had LODGE and BURKE. Truly we should have thought this was enough,—more especially at a time when the interest excited by the House of Lords could hardly be said to be that of knowing how they deduced their descent. Nevertheless, here is a fourth, by SHARPE ; with what new claims, we have hardly been able to discover. It is very full, especially in dates, very portly, the typo- graphical arrangement is very distinct, the arms are very neatly engraved, and we are disposed to think the matter tolerably accu- rate. The Peerage may be traced in its cousinhood; and this will be a great merit with the buyers of Peerages, who are chiefly off- sets of the main branches, who wish to possess evidence of their relationship to show to admiring friends and connexions. All that our House of Lords has done or will do, has not erased, and will take a very long time to eradicate, the reverence with which even a remote connexion with it is regarded in most parts of the country, more especially among the gentry, who either have been or may be honoured by some connexion with its illustrious blood. On the whole, we believe this Peerage is as good as any other; but we confess we thought the others quite good enough.
Previous page
