In the Rectory House at Whitchurch, in Shropshire, built by Richard Newcome, D.D., rector of that place, and afterwards Bishop of St. Asaph, there is a valuable library left as an heirloom by the bequest of Jane, Countess Dowager of Bridgewater; who, in the year 1707, having purchased from his executors the library of the Reverend Clement Sankey, D.D., rector of Whitchurch, for 305l., left it for ever for the use of the rectors for the time being. The number of the volumes was 2250: amongst which are a fine copy of Walton's _Polyglott Bible_, some of the ancient Fathers, and other valuable theological works. This collection has been subsequently increased by a bequest from the late Rev. Francis Henry, Earl of Bridgewater (of eccentric memory), rector of Whitchurch, who by his will, dated in 1825, gave the whole of his own books in the Rectory House at Whitchurch, to be added to the others, and left also the sum of 150l. to the rector to be invested in his name, and the dividends thereof expended by him, together with the money arising from the sale of his lordship's wines and liquors in his cellars at Whitchurch, in the purchase of printed books for the use of the rectors of that parish for the time being. The same noble earl presented to the rector of Middle, in the county of Salop, a small collection of books towards founding a library there: and bequeathed by his will the sum of 800l., to be applied, under the direction of the rector of Middle for the time being, for augmenting this library. He also left a farther sum of 150l. to be invested in the name of the rector; and the dividends thereof expended by him in the purchase of books for the continual augmentation of the library, in the same manner as he had done at Whitchurch. It is to this Earl of Bridgewater that we are indebted not only for those valuable works the _Bridgewater Treatises_, but also for large bequests of money and landed property to the trustees of the British Museum, for the purchase of manuscripts, in addition to those from his own collection, which he had already bequeathed to the same institution. THOS. CORSER. Stand Rectory. * * * * * BATTLE OF VILLERS EN COUCHE. (Vol. viii., pp. 8. 127.) I am in a position to furnish a more complete account of this skirmish, and of the action of April 26, in which my grandfather, General Mansel, fell, from a copy of the _Evening Mail_ of May 14, 1794, now in the possession of J. C. Mansel, Esq., of Cosgrove Hall, Northamptonshire. Your correspondent MR. T. C. SMITH appears to have been misinformed as to the immediate suppression of the _Poetical Sketches_ by an officer of the Guards, as I have seen the _third edition_ of that work, printed in 1796. "_Particulars of the Glorious Victory obtained by the English Cavalry over the French under the Command of General Chapuis, at Troisoille, on the 26th of April, 1794._