the title-page of the Museum copy is written with pencil, "by the Revd. E. Smedley." The work is a poem in reply to the question, Why are you a Church of England Christian?' 35 pp.

6

A Churchman's Second Epistle. By the Author of Religio Clerici. With Notes and Illustrations. London, 1819, 85 pp.-A curious work, in which there seem to be some good strokes of satire amongst the bigotry. W. H. B.-" In the latter part," the author says, "he has thought it his duty to express firmly, though he hopes not uncharitably, his opinion of the perils to which the Established Church is exposed by the rapid progress of modern Puritanism." A characteristick specimen of this gentleman's religion, as well as of his charity, is afforded by the concluding lines of his poem, where he desires to have it recorded in his epitaph, that "He loved established modes of serving God, Preached from a pulpit rather than a tub,

And gave no guinea to a Bible Club!"

Religio Christiani; a Churchman's Answer to Religio Clerici, 1818, 8vo.

Religio Militis; or Christianity for the Camp.-Lond. 1827, 18mo. pp. 151.

The Religion of a Church of England-Man, 12mo. T. R.-This brief notice was furnished, I believe from memory, by Mr. Rodd, of Newport-Street, and was without date.

Norwich,

Ост. 30тн, 1829.

S. W.

Additions and Corrections.

The reading of MS. W. 2 agrees with that of MS. R. in the first three sheets, unless otherwise mentioned in the present table.

Page 2, note 3; for MS. L.' read, 'MSS. L. & W. 2'

lic, in 1657,-by the influence of Pope Alexander VII, and in consideration of assistance rendered by that Pontiff, to the Venetians, in permission to levy taxes on their Clergy, and in a donation, to the republic and the family of Chigi, of a

4. n. 8; add, 'MS. W. 2 reads, im- large sum of money, subscribed by the proper actions.'

6, n. 6; dele, 'and all the MSS.'

8, n. 8; The assertion in this note, that "the Jesuits, after their expulsion from Venice, have never again been tolerated there," was made by the Annotator, in whose time it was true: and I have been recently assured by a member of that Society, (through the medium of a friend,) that it is still true. I find, however, that the statement is no longer strictly correct. The Jesuits, though under considerable restrictions, did obtain readmission to the territory of the repub

Jesuits themselves -See Racine, Abrégé de l'Histoire Ecclésiastique, p. 40. Histoire Général de la naissance et des progrès de la Compagnie de Jesus, 4 vols. 12mo. 1761, t. i, p. 409-412. Daru, Histoire de Venise, t. iv, 570–572.

9, n. 3; dele the note, and read, 'Thus all the MSS. and Edts. 1642, 1643, 1645, and 1686:-those of 1659, 1672, 1678, 1682, and 1736 read, have. -Ed.'

9, n. 4; dele the last line; and, after 'MSS.' add, except MS. W. 2.'

11, line 14; that it rise] read, that

11, n. 8; for MSS. W. & L.' read, ton, towards the close of the Dedication of his Divine Legation.-J. C.

16, n. 2; add, but they are in MS. the MSS.' W. 2.'

16, n. 3; add, MS. W. 2 reads, "that angels cannot do it."

THE ANNOTATOR TO THE READER.

A. GELLIUS (Noct. Attic. 1. xx. cap. ult.) notes some books that had strange titles; Pliny (Præfat. Nat. Hist.) speaking of some such, could not pass them over without a jeer; so strange (saith he) are the titles of some books, Ut multos ad vadimonium deferendum compellant. And Seneca saith, some such there are, Qui patri obstetricem parturienti filiæ accersenti moram injicere possint. Of the same fate this present tract Religio Medici hath partaken: exception by some hath been taken to it in respect of its inscription, which, say they, seems to imply, that physicians have a religion by themselves, which is more than theology doth warrant: but it is their inference, and not the title that is to blame; for no more is meant by that, or endeavoured to be proved in the book, than that (contrary to the opinion of the unlearned) physicians have religion as well as other men.

For the work itself, the present age hath produced none that hath had better reception amongst the learned; it hath been received and fostered by almost all, there having been

1 Though a selection only of Mr. Keck's notes has been given in the present edition, yet it has been thought right to preserve his preface, which has been referred to in the course of the foregoing introductory observations.-Ed.

but one that I know of (to verify that books have their fate from the capacity of the reader) that hath had the face to appear against it; that is Mr. Alexander Rosse; but he is dead, and it is uncomely to skirmish with his shadow. It shall be sufficient to remember to the reader, that the noble and most learned knight, Sir Kenelm Digby, has delivered his opinion of it in another sort, who though in some things he differ from the author's sense, yet hath he most candidly and ingenuously allowed it to be a "very learned and excellent piece;" and I think no scholar will say there can be an approbation more authentick. Since the time he published his Observations upon it, one Mr. Jo. Merryweather, a Master of Arts of the University of Cambridge, hath deemed it worthy to be put into the universal language, which about the year 1644 he performed; and that hath carried the author's name not only into the Low Countries and France, (in both which places the book in Latin hath since been printed,) but into Italy and Germany, and in Germany it hath since fallen into the hands of a gentleman of that nation3 (of his name he hath given us no more than L. N. M. E. N.) who hath written learned Annotations upon it in Latin, which were printed together with the book, at Strasbourg, 1652. And, for the general good opinion the world had entertained both of the work and author, this stranger tells you: "Inter alios auctores incidi in librum cui titulus Religio Medici, jam ante mihi innotuerat lectionem istius libri multos præclaros viros delectasse, imo occupasse. Non ignorabam librum in Anglia, Gallia, Italia, Belgio, Germania, cupidissime legi; constabat mihi eum non solum in Anglia, Batavia, sed et Parisiis cum præfatione, in qua auctor magnis laudibus fertur, esse typis mandatum. Compertum mihi erat multos magnos atque eruditos viros censere auctorem (quantum ex hoc scripto perspici potest) sanctitate vitæ ac pietate elucere, &c." But for the worth of the book it is so well known to every Englishman that is fit to read it, that this attestation of a foreigner may seem superfluous.

2 In his Medicus Medicatus.

3 That he was a German appears by his notes, page 35, where he useth these words, Dulcissima nostra Germania, &c.

4 In Præfat. Annotat.

The German, to do him right, hath in his annotations given a fair specimen of his learning, shewing his skill in the languages, as well ancient as modern; as also his acquaintance with all manner of authors, both sacred and profane, out of which he hath amassed a world of quotations: but yet, not to mention that he hath not observed some errors of the press, and one or two main ones of the Latin translation, whereby the author is much injured; it cannot be denied but he hath past over many hard places untouched, that might deserve a note; that he hath made annotations on some, where no need was; in the explication of others hath gone besides the

true sense.

And were he free from all these, yet one great fault there is he may be justly charged with, that is, that he cannot manum de tabula even in matters the most obvious: which is an affectation ill-becoming a scholar; witness the most learned annotator, "Claud. Minos. Divion. in præfat. commentar. Alciat. Emblemat. præfix. præstat (saith he) brevius omnia persequi, et leviter attingere quæ nemini esse ignota suspicari possint, quam quasi gawden, perque locos communes identidem expatiari."

I go not about, by finding fault with his, obliquely to commend my own; I am as far from that, as 't is possible others will be all I seek by this preface, next to acquainting the reader with the various entertainment of the book, is, that he would be advertised, that these Notes were collected ten years since, long before the German's were written; so that I am no plagiary, (as who peruseth his notes and mine will easily perceive,) and in the second place, that I made this recueil merely for mine own entertainment, and not with any intention to evulge it; truth is my witness, the publication proceeds merely from the importunity of the bookseller (my special friend), who, being acquainted with what I had done, and about to set out another edition of the book, would not be denied these notes to attex to it; 't is he (not I) that divulgeth it, and whatever the success be, he alone is concerned

5 Excepting two or three particulars, in which reference is made to some books that came over since that time.