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PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION.

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is one Gentleman to whom I am under so many and peculiar obligations, for intelligence which his matchless collection of scarce books, and his intimate knowledge of the treasures he possesses, have en abled him to communicate, that I could not content myself without inscribing the present Edition to my kind-hearted and respectable Friend Mr. BINDLEY;

who, in a green old. age, happily retains his bibliomaniacal spirit, and is as ready to impart knowledge, as he is liberal in the purchase of literary curiosities.

I must also particularly acknowledge the variety of information received, on frequent application, from Mr. ALEXANDER CHALMERS.

By the Rev. WILLIAM BAKER, LL. D. Rector of Lyndon and of South Luffenham in the county of Rutland, I have been favoured with some very important additions to the article of his grandfather, Mr. Henry Baker, one of the earliest Members, and one of the most active in the Institution of the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce.

Mr. MALONE, the Rev. JAMES STANIER CLARKE, the Rev. ROBERT WATTS, the Rev. T. F. DIBDIN, Mr. HENRY ELLIS, Mr. H. J. MARKLAND, Mr. D'Is-' RAELI, Mr. STEPHEN JONES, and a hundred other Gentlemen, will accept my general acknowledgments.

I cannot, however, deny myself the satisfaction of publicly thanking my only Son, not merely for greatly facilitating the toil of correction, but for not unfrequently having prevented my falling into material mistakes. In addition to similar assistance from my Nephew, Mr. SAMUEL BENTLEY, it is to him that I am indebted for an accurate and copious Index.

June 11, 1812.

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Mr. William Bowyer the Younger... to face the Title of Vol. II.

Benjamin Stillingfleet, Esq.

Mr. Joseph Jackson...

Rev. Joseph Spence..

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p. 338 358 ..374

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Fac-Simile of one of Mr. Markland's Letters ... ... Vol. II. 313

Pedigree of Gale...

Markland

Vol. IV. 536

657

* The Binder will recollect to place the ADDITIONS of

Dr. LORT, &c. ...... at the End of Vol. II.

Bp. HORSLEY, Mr. BRYANT, &c. ... Vol. IV.
Mr, STRUTT, &c.

....

Vol. V.

Mem. In the SIXTH VOLUME, a mistake occurs in numbering the Pages after p. 496; but, as the Signatures follow properly, it will be evident that nothing is omitted.

LITERARY

LITERARY ANECDOTES

OF THE

EIGHTEENTH CENTURY.

“Id bonum cura, quod vetustate sit melius.”
SEN. Ep. XY.

THE Traveller, who in early life explored a region famed for natural or artificial curiosities, and with the eye of an Antiquary traced the vestiges of architectural splendour, whether the last remains of the Grecian temple, the Roman amphitheatre, or the Gothic aile or cloister, resumes his visit at a maturer age with augmented pleasure. New beauties meet his view; new ideas are impressed on his imagination, as new suggestions offer themselves to his reflection. He perceives, and is astonished to perceive, that some of the finest part of the landscape, some of the most beautiful features in the view, failed to meet his first researches. Having revolved, after an interval of many years, the imagery which as it were crowded on the mind at a first glance, he treads the ground again with caution; he confines himself to the more immediate object of his pursuit; and employs the pen or the VOL. I. pencil

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pencil on subjects which had before entirely escaped his attention.

The scenery to which the Reader is now recalled is of a more confined and humble nature; yet there e gleanings in our biographical harvest, which, it is hoped, will be thought not undeserving notice. Of the very early period indeed the recollections are few, but they are interesting; and, as we advance, the discoveries produced by diligent enquiry and friendly communications, and even by the loss of friends whom it would have been indelicate to mention whilst living, have removed the veil under which many curious particulars, highly honourable to the persons of whom they are related, were unavoidably concealed.

To whatever cause it may be owing, the lives of literary men are seldom recorded, while any remembrance of them remains. Except in a few cases, where interest, vanity, or gratitude are concerned, men of letters, who in general deserve better of the world than the more brilliant characters of the hour, the courtier or the pseudo-patriot, pass unnoticed to the grave; and curiosity is seldom awakened about them until the opportunity of gratifying it is irrecoverable.

The information, therefore, which, I flatter myself, was conveyed to the world in the former edition of the Memoirs of my late excellent Friend, encourages me, after an interval of more than six-andtwenty years, when so much fresh matter has occurred, to pursue a similar method.

WILLIAM BOWYER, confessedly the most learned Printer of the Eighteenth Century, was born in Dogwell Court, in the extraparochial precinct of White Fryars, London, Dec. 19, 1699; and may be said to have been initiated from his infancy in the rudiments of the art in which he so eminently excelled.

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