_Henry VIII. and Sir Thos. Curwen._--The following quaint extract from Sandford's MS. _History of Cumberland_, now in the library of the Dean and Chapter of Carlisle, exhibits that "reknowned king," Henry VIII., in so good-natured a light, that I think, if you can find a corner for it, it may amuse some of your readers. That the good knight and "excelent archer" should have been so outwitted by his son-in-law is a matter of some regret to one of his descendants:-- "Sir Thos. Curwen, Knight, in Henry the Eight's time, an excelent archer at twelvescore merks; and went up with his men to shoote with that reknowned King at the dissolution of abbeys: and the King says to him, Curwen, why doth thee begg none of these Abbeys? I wold gratify thee some way. Quoth the other, Thank yow, and afterward said he wold desire of him the Abbie of ffurness (nye unto him) for 20^{ty} one yeares. Sayes the King: take it for ever: quoth the other, it is long enough, for youle set them up againe in that time: but they not likely to be set up againe, this Sir Tho. Curwen sent Mr. Preston, who had married his daughter, to renew the lease for him; and he even rennewed in his own name; which when his father-in-law questioned, quoth Mr. Preston, you shall have it as long as you live; and I think I may as well have it with your daughter as another." After some descents, this family of Preston, of the manor of Furness, terminated in a daughter, who married Sir William Lowther, whose grandson left his estates in Furness and Cartmell to his cousin, Lord George Cavendish, through whom they are inherited by the Earl of Burlington. As Harry the Eighth's good intentions towards Sir Thomas Curwen have been frustrated, his descendants must console themselves by knowing that the glorious old ruin of Furness could not be in better hands than his lordship's. H. C. Workington. _Periodical Literature_, 1707.-- "The author of the _Observator_ is MR. RIDPATH, y^e author of the _Flying Post_. The base author of the late paper, which has been some time since dropp'd, viz. _The Observator Reviv'd_, was one PEARCE, an exchange broker, some time since concerned in the paper called _Legion's Address_, and forced to fly on that account into Holland. The publisher of the _Phoenix_ is a Presbyterian bookseller, named J. Darby, in Bartholomew Close, who has told me that he was chiefly assisted therein by the famous MR. COLLINS, the supposed author of _The Use of Reason in Propositions_, &c., and Dr. Tindal's familiar acquaintance."--_Original Letter of the Rev. Robert Watts, M.A._, dated London, Feb. 6. 1707-8. P. B.