The Natural History of Wiltshire | Page 5

"Natural History," it omits the

"Description of North Wiltshire." The latter was known previously,
being mentioned by Aubrey himself in his Miscellanies, and also by Dr.
Rawlinson; and hence, Warton and Huddesford's list being supposed to
be complete, much confusion has arisen respecting these two of
Aubrey's works, which have been sometimes considered as identical.]
Some years ago Sir Thomas Phillipps, Bart., contemplated publishing
this "Natural History," but he appears to have abandoned his design.
A brief description of the present state of the two manuscripts, with
reference to the text of the volume now published, may be desirable.
The Oxford copy, which may be termed the author's rough draught, is
in two parts or volumes, demy folio, in the original vellum binding.§
Being compiled at various times, during a long series of years, it has a
confused appearance, from the numerous corrections and additions
made in it by Aubrey. A list of the chapters is prefixed to each volume,
whence it appears that Aubrey had intended to include some
observations on "Prices of Corne", "Weights and Measures",
"Antiquities and Coines", and "Forests, Parks, and Chaces". Most of
these topics are adverted to under other heads, but the author never
carried out his intention by forming them into separate chapters.
§ [The first volume has two title-pages. On one of them, as well as on
the cover, the work is called the "Natural History" of Wiltshire; but the
remaining title designates its contents as "Memoires of Natural
Remarques" in the county.]
Besides wanting the "Fatalities of Families and Places", taken out by
the author in 1696, as already stated, the Oxford manuscript is deficient
also in the chapters on "Architecture", "Accidents", and "Seates". So
far therefore as Aubrey's own labours are concerned, the Royal
Society's copy is the most perfect; but the notes of Ray, Evelyn, and
Tanner were written upon the Oxford manuscript after the fair copy
was made, and have never been transcribed into the latter. The Royal
Society's manuscript is entirely in Aubrey's own hand, and is very
neatly and carefully written, being in that respect, as well as in its
completeness, much superior to the original. Of the latter it appears to
have been an exact transcript; but it wants some of the rude sketches
and diagrams with which the original is illustrated. The two parts form
only one volume, demy folio, which is paged consecutively from 1 to
373, and is bound in modern Russia leather.

As already stated, a copy of the entire work was made for the purposes
of this publication from the Royal Society's volume. The ownership of
this copy has since been transferred to George Poulett Scrope, Esq.
M.P., of Castle Combe, who has had it collated with the Oxford
manuscript, thus making it unique.
Every care has been taken to preserve the strictest accuracy in the
extracts now published, and with that view, as well as to correspond
with such of Aubrey's works as have been already printed, the original
orthography has been retained. The order and arrangement of the
chapters, and their division into two parts, are also adhered to. At the
commencement of each chapter I have indicated the nature of the
passages which are omitted in the present volume, and although such
omissions are numerous, it may be stated that all the essential and
useful portions of the work are either here printed, or so referred to as
to render them easily accessible in future to the scientific student, the
antiquary, and the topographer.
With respect to the Notes which I have added, as Editor of the present
volume, in correction or illustration of Aubrey's observations, I am
alone responsible.* It would have been easy to have increased their
number; for every page of the original text is full of matter suggestive
of reflection and comment. I am aware that a more familiar
acquaintance with the present condition of Wiltshire would have
facilitated my task, and added greatly to the importance of these notes.
On this point indeed I might quote the remarks of Aubrey in his preface,
for they apply with equal force to myself; and, like him, I cannot but
regret that no "ingeniouse and publique-spirited young Wiltshire man"
has undertaken the task which I have thus imperfectly performed.
* [These are enclosed within brackets [thus], and bear the initials J. B.
Some of the less important are marked by brackets only.]
In closing this address, and also in taking leave of the county of Wilts,
as regards my literary connection with it, I feel it to be at once a duty
and a pleasure to record my acknowledgments and thanks to those
persons who have kindly aided me on the present occasion. When I
commenced this undertaking I did not anticipate the labour it would
involve