cumstances, been before the publick, I have not been able to obtain much information. Even in these cases, where I have submitted what had been before printed to their correction as to matters of fact, the extreme delicacy and reluctance that has been shewn in interfering with what concerned themselves has in some degree been the means of depriving the publick of some valuable information. In answer to one of my enquiries, I received a very complimentary letter, in which was the following passage: "Notices of this kind are generally supposed to originate with the object of them; and as presumed proofs (however falsely) of vanity and forwardness, they often, I believe, do injury where they are intended to confer a be→ nefit." Thus the publick must frequently remain in error merely because a gentleman cannot be induced to correct a memoir of himself as to matters of fact, without exposing himself to the charge of writing his own life. Every thing has, however, been conducted in so complimentary a manner towards myself that I have no reason to complain if the publick is satisfied.

If the above will not suffice as an apology for the scantiness of my biographical notices, I shall take the liberty of extracting an observation of my friend Mr. Dyer, in his account of the eminent men belonging to the University of Cambridge, that "to attempt what is impossible to

execute is madness; and to profess that wherein both our consciences and our reader's must have borne testimony against the falsehood, would be something worse. In the [succeeding] history, then, there was no aim at a complete account of all our learned men; and to acknowledge it to be defective, where it does not profess to be perfect, will be no derogation of it."

It will probably be said that the records of the Hospital were the authorities I should have consulted for the necessary information; but I must here state that I have had the misfortune of undertaking the work at a period when the various duties of the gentlemen connected with the establishment entirely precluded any of them from affording me the least assistance. If the publick should hereafter require an improved edition of the work, these gentlemen, or their succesors, may have more leisure to permit the books of the Hospital to afford information towards the prosecution of the subject; and in aid of a publication, the object of which is to represent the establishment, and all connected with it, in a point of view that could have no other tendency than to its honour.

If, however, I have been unsuccessful within the walls, the contrary has been the case without, my applications having received the most flattering attention.

From Mr. Dyer I have gained many valuable hints, and his very interesting "History of the Colleges and Halls of Cambridge" likewise supplied the names of several eminent characters who were of Christ's Hospital previous to joining that University.

I feel myself greatly indebted to Mr. Leigh Hunt, whose attachment to the Hospital (and I might almost say every thing connected with it) is evident throughout his writings. His kind assist-, ance was offered in the most obliging manner as soon as he understood the work was in preparation.

To my late Governor and present Patron, John Nichols, esq. I am indebted for the free use of the rich stores in his valuable library, which furnished every authority that I had occasion to consult. The ready access here granted demands my grateful thanks, and adds one obligation more to the many for which I am already indebted to him.

Conscious that, notwithstanding the above assistance, the imperfections of the work will be but too apparent, I must' beg the liberty of stating that it is the production of two or three leisure hours in an evening, and that my "midnight oil" has occasionally been expended in completing the task imposed upon myself. This I mention be

cause in such a case the difficulty of consulting various authorities is greatly increased; and should any of my readers express the same surprise which has, I understand, been already whispered, that I should, under such circumstances, undertake the work, my reply is, labor ipse voluptas.

September 21, 1821.