render them more complete, he was not unfrequently induced to make a few observations, either introductory or explanatory. When this mass of scraps and fragments had been thus arranged and elucidated, he thought that what had gratified himself, and cost some labour, might not be altogether unacceptable to others; and in a lucky or unlucky hour,-as the Public shall decide-he determined to print it. In making the selection, the Editor has been as anxious to avoid the dry and barren technicalities of bibliography on the one hand, as he has been not to make it a mere collection of "elegant extracts on the other. He trusts, however, that there will be found some articles that are rare, others that are curious, and many that are interesting; and should there be a few that do not come under any of these classes, he trusts to the public indulgence for a lenient censure. The Editor has been careful, wherever it was in his power, to mention the source whence his information has been derived. The several articles, to which the letter A is subscribed, were collected by him in the course of a visit which he paid to the United States of America; of these, a few were culled from the public journals of that interesting country, and others were kindly communicated to him by private friends. Of the Letters of the Earl of Rochester, it may be proper to observe, that some of them have been already made public in a periodical journal; though printed very incorrectly. To shew the many amiable features, which it does appear distinguished the domestic character of a man, who has hitherto been known only as a great wit and a great libertine, the Editor thought that a selection from the relics of his correspondence was required, not only more discriminative, but more authentic, than has yet been published. All the letters here given have accordingly been carefully collated with the originals preserved in the British Museum. In the course of the volume, there will be found several other unpublished letters which have been transcribed from the originals. Although, as already stated, the RELICS OF LITERATURE consist chiefly of gleanings from the works of others, with illustrations and explanatory notices, the Editor would be wanting in ingenuousness, did he not avow his responsibility for some few original articles. To these, however, it is unnecessary more particularly to call the attention of the Reader their Author will feel the extent of his ambition gratified, should their worth be such as not to make their number either remarked or regretted. CONTENTS. Page 1 The First English Catalogue-On the Compilation of English Catalogues in general Earliest English Medical Work; "Breviary of Practice"-" Breviary of Health" 3 Pennyless Parliament of Threadbare Poets; a curious Black-letter Tract Madrigal, by Lodge; not in Ellis's Specimens |