[Dr. Kippis's _Life of Captain Cook_ may be consulted with advantage. It is carefully compiled, and will be found in the fourth volume of his _Biographia Britannica_, as well as in a separate 4to. volume, 1788. For the death of the eldest and only surviving son of the celebrated navigator, see _Gentleman's Magazine_ for February, 1794, p. 182., and p. 199. of the same volume.] _Varnish for old Books._--Can any of your readers oblige me with a good receipt for varnishing the bindings of old books? Bees-wax and turpentine, used very thin, is a tolerably good one; but I am desirous of learning another. INVESTIGATOR. [A little common glue-size, made thin, would be better than bees-wax and turpentine. The best varnish that can be used is that made in France, and may be had at Barbe Lechertier's, Artists' Colourman, 60. Regent's Quadrant. It is called French varnish for leather, and is sold at 14s. per pound. There is also a common varnish for leather, which can be purchased {424} at Reilly's varnish manufactory, 19. Old Street, St. Luke's. It is sold at about 3s. 6d. per pint.] _Cabbages._--When were cabbages first cultivated in England? Who introduced them? C. H. [Evelyn says, "'Tis scarce a hundred years since we first had cabbages out of Holland, Sir Anthony Ashley, of Wiburg St. Giles, in Dorsetshire, being, as I am told, the first who planted them in England."--_Acetaria_, sect. 11. They were introduced into Scotland by the soldiers of Cromwell's army.] * * * * * Replies. ADDISON'S HYMNS. (Vol. ix., p. 373.) After the correspondence that took place ("N. & Q.," Vol. v.), I had hoped that Addison would have been left in peaceable possession of those "divine hymns" ascribed to his pen; but this is not to be. A former correspondent, J. G. F., doubted whether they were not composed by Andrew Marvell? This inquiry was, I hope, satisfactorily answered, by myself in the first instance, and afterwards by MR. CROSSLEY, Vol. v., pp. 513, 548. In No. 234. a later correspondent, S. M., asks whether the hymn "When rising from the bed of death," which he says is "taken from the chapter on 'Death and Judgment,' in Addison's _Evidences of the Christian Religion_," was written by Addison or Dr. Isaac Watts? In what edition of the _Evidences_ does S. M. find either the chapter he speaks of, or this hymn? The place which it occupies is in No. 513. of the _Spectator_. As I have elsewhere stated, Addison was accustomed to throw a little mystery over these poems; and "the excellent man in holy orders," to whom this hymn is attributed, is unquestionably the ideal clergyman, the occasional visitor of the club, spoken of in the second number of the _Spectator_. In the letter that accompanies this hymn, the supposed writer says,--