with more at present, but when I have better considered your Quæres, you may, if you please, have a particular answer to them. I cannot, Sir, but commend your design, which looks back into the ruins of ancient time, and would willingly have a sight of truth, which lyes buried under it.

I am, Sir,

Your most humble Servt.

J. BYROM.

LETTER VII

Mr. TANNER to Mr. J. AUBREY.

Monumenta Britannica.-History of Wiltshire.-Camden.

WORTHY SIR,

I RECEIVED yours of Nov. 8th which I could not then possibly answer (having a country stranger in town, on whom I was forced to attend) and not long after I heard that you were gone to London, where I could not tell whither to direct it for you. But having heard lately from my brother, he told me my father gave you the trouble of a letter to him, so that I have sent this to him, hoping that it may come safe to your hands.

I have spent some thoughts upon your business of printing the first part of your Monumenta Britannica,* and I must crave leave to tell you, that it will be more for your interest (which I heartily wish I could promote in this, or in any thing else) and every jot as honourable for you to abridge it all, and print it in about 40 sheets, which will make a very fair octavo or quarto. And indeed I cannot apprehend, except the other parts be a great deal larger than this I have by me, how the whole can amount to the number of sheets promised in the proposalls. But this I take to be the cheapest way for your self, and if so, you may afford it at a lower price, and the cheaper a book is, the more buyers it will have. In a second impression you may encrease it to what bulk you please. These are my own private thoughts, what Mr. Gibson's sentiments in this matter are, I do not know; he is a great judge in these matters, and a well wisher to all good designs. When you print it in this, or any other method, if I can serve you in any thing I hope you may command my time.

you know that you may

You promised to send me your other parts of your Monumenta, and your Natural History of Wilts, as soon as you came to London, but I

Monumenta Britannica, or a Discourse concerning Stone-henge; and the Rollrich-stones, in Oxfordshire. This was never printed.

suppose you have altered your mind on hearing. that I am engaged in Camden; which I confess is true, and I should not have conceal'd it so

long from you if I had thought (which I did not a month since) it would have gone on, or at least that I should have [any] thing to do in it. But since it is so, you need not fear my playing the plagiary with your MSS. tho' I must excuse your jealousy of such a thing, Antony Wood having dealt so ungenteely by you.* Yet if you will take the word of him that hath done all that led in his power since he hath had the honour to be known to you, to approve himself your true friend, there shall be no injustice done you upon the perusall of your papers. Nay, farther, suppose I should prove never so false (of which I hope you will not entertain the least thought) what great harm can I do you in one single sheet, for that will be all I shall have in that volume. And I think nothing can raise the expectation of the world more, than to quote two or three curious

* Aubrey, in a very friendly letter to Wood, dated Sept. 2, 1694, and preserved in the Bodleian Library, reproaches him for having "cut out a matter of forty pages out of one of his volumes, as also the Index." He concludes-" I thought you so dear a friend, that I might have entrusted my life in your hands; and now your unkindness doth almost break my heart. You cannot imagine how much your unkindness vext and discomposed me. So God bless you. Tuissimus,

A."

remarks out of a book with respect to the author. But this is not my business with your MSS. only I thought that I must prevent this objection which you might naturally raise, for indeed I have by me at present (beside your Wiltshire Antiquities) above 100 sheets relating to the History of Wilts, (which indeed I have collected toward the completing your Antiquities) so that I shall not want materials to fill four pages. But tho' there be some things in your books which I would willingly see, yet the principal reason why I send for them, is to pleasure you more than my self. For I am now going through a course of all our English Historians (a public design of which you shall hear farther, when it is come to greater maturity) so that if I knew the particulars you treat of, I might be capable of collecting a great many things, which might be very pertinently added to your book. If upon this or any

other consideration you can venture to trust your papers in my hands, I would desire you to send them as soon as you can, and in so doing you will mightily oblige

Your faithful Servant,

Qu. Coll. Oxon.

Dec. 26, [16]93.

THO. TANNER.

your

I RECEIVED your letter of the 5th instant in due time, and your Natural History of Wiltshire on Saturday last. I return you a thousand thanks, for that I have the favour and trust to peruse them. I hope you never had the least reason to suspect my integritie and love to you, ever since I had the honour to be known to you, and I shall take care to preserve the good opinion you have of me, by making no use of your MSS. but to your honour. In your letter you mention a box, wherein were besides Natural History other MSS. and things, but I received nothing but your Natural History of Wiltshire, and a sheet or two containing printed proposals concerning a general fishery, on the back of which is written with your own hand, For the Museum. There were some printed books came down in the box you sent me (of your other MSS.) which I carefully keep for your use. As for your Natural History of Wiltshire you shall have it return'd you again in a fortnight's time if you please. I have already read over the first part with incredible satisfaction, and have taken the bolduess to