cals to his mind the Richardsoniana and Johnsoniana; and is told that the Table Talk of Selden is entitled, by men of letters abroad, Seldeniana. It might be expected that the general character of these Anas, as well as a description of them, part of this preface. should form a The Editor is comply with so happy to be able to reasonable a request, by quoting an eminent critic, who seems, by the treatise from whence this extract is taken, to have examined the merits of and objections to compilations of this kind, with all the candour, diligence, and sagacity, which the subject requires." Sint itaque in iis facetiæ et sales liberiores; sint judicia nonnunquam sinistra et iniqua; sint quædam magnis viris supposita; sint erronea quædam et falsa; sint nonnulla, quæ forte in quorundam gratiam taceri præstabat: et quotusquisque, quæso, dabitur liber in quo si de potiori parte judicemus, non hæc singula vel saltem pleraque caveri debeant? Id speciatim quod in primis urgeri solet ab iis, qui hujusmodi scriptis minus favent, quod scilicet multa collectoribus potius quam iis, quorum nomina præ se ferunt, tribuì debeant, id inquam levissimum illorum crimen est. Dicta enim ista sub alieno nomine ostentata, vel vituperium vel laudem merentur: si hoc, nec ad auctorem suppositum ignominia, nec ad legentes ullum incommodum redibit; seu istud, injuria solum fiat mortuis, nempe vel ipsi auctori, cui tribuuntur, vel aliis, de quibus auctor judicasse supponitur: sed quid inde detrimenti vel respublica literaria, vel lector capiat, non video. Præstiterat equidem hæc caveri: sed id tamen non efficiunt, ut totum negotium aversemur. Id præterea objici solet, PREFACE. IT is deemed necessary to some readers, and respectful to all, that the nature of the following work, and the plan on which it is conducted, should be briefly explained. The technical term Anas signifies, collectively, the various memorabilia compiled and published by the friends of illustrious scholars on the continent, as tributes to their memories. The English reader (for whom especially this selection and translation were designed) will fully comprehend the meaning of the above term, and the nature of the present compilation, when he re VOL. I cals to his mind the Richardsoniana and Johnsoniana; and is told that the Table Talk of Selden is entitled, by men of letters abroad, Seldeniana. It might be expected that the general character of these Anas, as well as a description of them, should form a part of this preface. The Editor is happy to be able to comply with so reasonable a request, by quoting an eminent critic, who seems, by the treatise from whence this extract is taken, to have examined the merits of and objections to compilations of this kind, with all the candour, diligence, and sagacity, which the subject requires." Sint itaque in iis facetiæ et sales liberiores; sint judicia nonnunquam sinistra et iniqua; sint quædam magnis viris supposita; sint erronea quædam et falsa; sint nonnulla, quæ forte in quorundam gratiam taceri præstabat: et quotusquisque, |