§
Being compiled at various times, during a long series of years, it has
a confused appearance, from the numerous corrections and additions
made in it by Aubrey. A list of the chapters is prefixed to each
volume, whence it appears that Aubrey had intended to include some
observations on "Prices of Corne", "Weights and Measures",
"Antiquities and Coines", and "Forests, Parks, and Chaces". Most of
these topics are adverted to under other heads, but the author never
carried out his intention by forming them into separate chapters.
§ [The first volume has two title-pages. On one of them, as well as on
the cover, the work is called the "Natural History" of Wiltshire;
but the remaining title designates its contents as "Memoires of
Natural Remarques" in the county.]
Besides wanting the "Fatalities of Families and Places", taken out by
the author in 1696, as already stated, the Oxford manuscript is
deficient also in the chapters on "Architecture", "Accidents", and
"Seates". So far therefore as Aubrey's own labours are concerned, the
Royal Society's copy is the most perfect; but the notes of Ray,
Evelyn, and Tanner were written upon the Oxford manuscript after the
fair copy was made, and have never been transcribed into the latter.
The Royal Society's manuscript is entirely in Aubrey's own hand, and
is very neatly and carefully written, being in that respect, as well
as in its completeness, much superior to the original. Of the latter
it appears to have been an exact transcript; but it wants some of the
rude sketches and diagrams with which the original is illustrated.
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