The History of Taunton, in the County of Somerset (Classic Reprint)

Excerpt from The History of Taunton, in the County of Somerset

He hopes, however, that he has not given his attention to useless trihes, nor directed his thoughts to subjects totally foreign. From the nature of the profession in which he appears. He has brought forward some curious particulars, which in a few years more, for want of being recorded, would be irrecoverably lost. His work will hold up many instances of exertion, directed to the benefit of the town, as domestic examples, to awaken a spirit of emulation. And it will display before the reader a scene which must instruct andafect every one, who has any idea what liberty, civil or religious, means; liberty, that best birthright of Englishmen, and, next to Christianity, the most precious gift of heaven.

It has given him pleasure to hold up to remembrance the names of those gentlemen, who have, in any respect, rendered public services to the Town of ta'unton. This he, will be hold to say, hehas done, with candour and impartiality. It is scarcely necessary, he would hope, to caution the reader against considering such a tribute of praise, paid where the author conceived it was merited, as pledging himself to any character; though it is a point of virtue with him to do justice to all.

He cannot conclude this preliminary address without testifying the lively sense he has of the honour done him, by the ready and free patronage and numerous subscriptions, with which this work has been encouraged; for which he returns his sincere and cordial thanks. The gentlemen, whose obliging communications he has noticed in the proper places, are requested to accept his grateful acknowledgments amongst them the Rev. Mr. Collinson, from whom the public expects the History of Somerset, deserves particular mention. He has a very respectful and grateful sense of the atten. Tion paid to his design, by other gentlemen, to whom the pages of the history do not give him an opportunity to refer; of the politeness with which James Bernard, esq. Of Crowcombe, ofl'ered him a free access to the valuable library of the late Thomas Carew, esq. Of the friendship of William Hawker, esq. Of Poundisford.lodge, for pointing out, and lending him some writers, who would not have Otherwise fallen in his way, and from whom important information was to be derived of the handsome manner, in which the learned Dr. G. Moore, archdeacon of Cornwall, not only favoured him with admittance to the library of the cathedral of Exeter, but personally attended him' in his researches; and of the readiness, with which sir Thomas Gunston furnished him with the use of an authenticated copy of the charter of Taunton.

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