THE WORKS OF SIR WALTER RALEGH, KT. NOW FIRST COLLECTED: TO WHICH ARE PREFIXED THE LIVES OF THE AUTHOR, BY OLDYS AND BIRCH. IN EIGHT VOLUMES. VOL. I. THE LIVES. OXFORD, AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS. MDCCCXXIX. ADVERTISEMENT. THE entire Works attributed to sir Walter Ralegh being now printed for the first time in an uniform edition, it may be expected that some statement should be given of the plan adopted in collecting materials for the present volumes. . The edition of the History of the World, as published by Mr. William Oldys in 1736, having always been considered to be the most correct in text and typography, it was, at first, intended to follow that edition exclusively; but upon a comparison of some doubtful readings with the earlier copies, it appeared that not only Oldys had made several arbitrary and unnecessary alterations, but that the printer had executed his task with considerable carelessness and inaccuracy; in some chapters having left out entire passages, and in others disfigured them by partial omissions or alterations, which either weakened or destroyed the sense. Under these The subjoined instances, taken at random, may suffice to establish the truth of what has been stated above. Their number might be easily augmented. Vol. I. p. 17. l. 11. incorporal it cannot be, because it sometime affecteth the sight of the eye with offence. Ed. Oldys. -incorporal it cannot be, because it is sensible: sensible it is, because it sometime affecteth the sight of the eye with offence. Ed. 1614. ib. p. 26. 1. 22. only it may be said, that originally there is no other difference between heat and fire. Ed. Oldys.—only it may be said, that originally there is no other difference between matter and form than between heat and fire. Ed. 1614. ib. p. 36. l. 14. amor Dei est circumstances it has been deemed advisable to follow an edition published during the life of the author, namely, that printed in folio by William Stansby for Walter Burre, Lond. 1614; and it is nobis perpetuus. Ed. Oldys.amor Dei est nodus perpetuus. Ed. 1614. ib. p. 8o. 1. 23. It is also written that Berosus. Ed. Oldys. -It is also written in Berosus. Ed. 1614. ib. p. 168. 1. 4. from bottom. impartial crown. Ed. Oldys.— imperial crown. Ed. 1614. ib. p. 291. 1. 9. from bottom. to make the careless most afraid. Ed. Oldys.-to make the careless Moors afraid. Ed. 1614. ib. p. 313. l. 18. whereof Hamatheus was present. Ed. Oldys.-whereof Hamatheus was parent. Ed. 1614. ib. p. 323. 1. 21. whose issues of Cham. Ed. Oldys.-whose issues, and the issues of Cham. Ed. 1614. ib. p. 350. 1. 8. from bottom then are those of whom virtue is extinguished. Ed. Oldys.-then are those in whom virtue is extinguished. Ed. 1614. ib. p. 370. l. 6. from bottom. a man of shape and fierce disposition. Ed. Oldys.—a man of sharp and fierce disposition. Ed. 1614. ib. p. 373. 1. 2. transport and spread this invention. Ed. Oldys.-transport and speed this invention. Ed. 1614. Vol. II. p. 76. 1. 20. to observe the short year after the moon. Ed. Oldys.-to observe the short year of the moon. Ed. 1614. ib. p. 8o. 1. ult. after which Moses called on God for succour, received encouragement, and commanded to go on. Ed. Oldys.—after which Moses calling on God for succour, received encouragement, and commandment to go on. Ed. 1614. ib. p. 115.1. ult. of distinction of clean beasts. Ed. Oldys.-of distinction of clean and unclean beasts. Ed. 1614. ib. p. 196. 1. 24. but now I am preparing homeward again in safety. Ed. Oldys.-but now I am repairing homeward again in safety. Ed. 1614. ib. p. 210. 1. 2. urged by the multitude of the people. Ed. Oldys.-urged by the murmur of the people. Ed. 1614. ib. p. 233. 1. antepenult. perfidiously. Ed. Oldys.—infideliously. Ed. 1614. ib. p. 290. l. 5. from bottom. rubbish. Ed. Oldys.—rubble. Ed. 1614. Vol. III. p. 39. 1. 2. worth. Ed. Oldys.-wrath. Ed. 1614. ib. p. 123. l. 13. by way of security. Ed. Oldys.-by way of scrutiny. Ed. 1614. ib. p. 217.1. 16. which caused the Greeks to make many fires, and some of his men &c. Ed. Oldys. which caused the Greeks to make many fires, and scatter themselves abroad in the villages. Teribazus also made many fires, and some of his men &c. Ed. 1614. confidently hoped that the reader will derive no small benefit by this return to the earlier and, it is presumed, the only authorized text. The Miscellaneous Pieces, first collected and published by Mr. Birch in two octavo volumes, London, 1751, have been carefully collated, wherever a MS. could be consulted; and, although the work has not been encumbered with the various readings, it may be stated with truth that the text has been materially corrected throughout. This remark applies more particularly to the Letters, which have, nearly all of them, been compared with several very early copies, and may now be considered as more nearly restored to what Ralegh himself wrote, than in any previous edition. The Poems have been taken from a collection first made by sir Egerton Brydges, bart., and printed at his private press at Lee Priory, 1813. Many of these have been collated with early MS. copies, and several additional Poems are now inserted from MSS. in the Bodleian library and Ashmolean museum; together with three pieces alluded to in Oldys's Life, p. 423. note, as originally printed in a very rare poetical collection, which has been discovered among Mr. Malone's books. The other more important additions are, A Treatise of the Soul : from a MS. in the Ashmolean museum. A Discourse of Tenures, which were before the Conquest: from a MS. of archbishop Sancroft. A Relation of the Cadiz Action: from the same collection. Sir Walter Ralegh's Opinion on the earl of Es |