65 
Mr. Grattan 
Wrote 
EL 
v01'y 
candid 
denial 
of 
any knowledge 
of the 
matter, 
in 
3, letter which 
was printed in the preface to 
edition. 
Alm0n's 
Of the pretension afterwards 
set 
forward 
for 
Dr. VVilm0t, 
believe 
it Was 
never entertained 
or supported by any good evidence: 
Dr. Francis, 
the 
father 
of 
Philip, 
Sir 
had been 
long 
before 
mentioned, 
but 
for what 
1'6H,SOl1 
have 
never 
been 
able 
to 
ascertain. 
Th 0 
answer 
of 
Sir 
Philip 
himself 
OI1 
the 
subject 
however, 
curiously 
equivocal, 
at 
least 
it 
SO 
strikes me ; 
although 
it is generally 
considered as a decided 
denial. 
It 
is 
21S 
follows : 
" The 
great 
civility 
of your letter induces 
HIE 
to 
3.IlSW6I' 
WhiCh; 
with 
reference 
merely to 
its 
subj ect-matter, 
I 
should have declinedl 
Whether 
you will 
assist 
in 
glvmg 
CUITBIICY 
to 
3 
3i11y' 
malignant 
false- 
hood, 
is 
question 
for 
y 0111' 
OWI1 
discretion : 
to 
H16 
it 
is 
8 
matter 
of 
perfect 
indifference." 
But 
notwithstanding 
all 
this, 
311' 
amusingly 
mysterious circumstance has, I amx informed, 
transpired since the death of Sir Philip. In a 
box, it is said, which he carefully deposited 
with 
his 
and 
which 
XVEIS 
not 
to 
be