During that period the
author dedicated the " Natural History of Wiltshire " to his Lordship;
and there is little reason to doubt that the fair copy, now in the
Society's Library, was made by the author, and given to it in the year
1690. About the same time he had resolved to present his other
manuscripts, together with some printed books, coins, antiquities,
&c., to the Ashmolean Museum at Oxford; and most of them were
accordingly deposited there. He however appears to have retained his
original manuscript of the " Natural History," in which he made
several observations in the year 1691; that being the latest date
attached by him to any of the additions.†
† [Some of these additions of 1691 Aubrey afterwards transcribed into
certain blank spaces in the Royal Society's copy.]
On the 15th of September in the same year Aubrey sent this work to his
learned and scientific friend, John Ray, for his perusal. The latter
made a number of notes upon various parts of the manuscript, which he
retained till the 27th of the ensuing month; when he returned it with
the very judicious letter which will be found printed in this present
publication (p. 7.) He had acknowledged the receipt of the work in a
previous letter, in which he says: "I have read it over with great
pleasure and satisfaction. You doe so mingle "utile dulci" {the useful
with the sweet} that the book cannot but take with all sorts of
readers: and it is pity it should be suppressed; which, though you
make a countenance of, I cannot persuade myself you really intend to
do:" and then proceeds to criticise a few pedantic or "new-coyned "
words, and also the contents of Chapter VIII.
Pages:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25