Neque in ipsos modo auctores, sed in libros quoque eorum sævitum, delegato trium- SECOND EDITION, MUCH ENLARGED. LONDON: JAMES DUNCAN, PATERNOSTER-ROW. MDCCCXXX. Destituimur adhuc in Republica literaria. 1.) Historia librorum prohibitorum. Cujus primas lineas duxit Paulus Sarpius-Schrammius— Raynaudus-Alii. 2.) Bibliotheca Historico-Critica indicum librorum prohibitorum, quæ exhibeat varias eorum Editiones, Accessiones, Detractiones, vicissitudines, utilitates, noxas, errata, arcana, omissa, suppressa, &c. Qualem Diatriben nos olim in animo habuimus, atque idcirco totidem editiones horum Catalogorum accumulavimus, quæ in Catalogo nostro Bibliothecæ Theol. Systematico-Critico enumerantur, quæque omnes rariores inventu sunt et non nisi solicitissime quærenti obviæ. Bib. Hist. Lit. Crit. &c., hoc est Catalogi Bibliothecæ Reimmannianæ Systematico-Criticæ.-Tom. ii., pp. 743, 744. Hild. 1739. London: Printed by W. CLOWES, Stamford-street. ΤΟ SIR ROBERT HARRY INGLIS, BART., M.P. for the University of Oxford. DEAR SIR ROBERT, I AM unwilling to lose the opportunity which the second enlarged, and, I trust, improved, edition, of the present work affords me, of congratulating, not only yourself, but the nation at large, on your early restoration to the legislative post, in the first occupation of which you discharged its high duties with so much honour to yourself and so much satisfaction to your country. The first act of resumption has, indeed, been thrown into a shade by the splendid circumstances which produced, and which accompany the second. The University of Oxford, which, on the eve of a noble revolution, exhibited a bright example of highprincipled and intrepid resistance to a tyrannical invasion of the civil and religious liberty of the country, in one of its most sacred recesses, has even in the inglo rious year just passed, and in a contest strikingly analogous, maintained its claim to the same uncorrupt and incorruptible attachment, both to the pure religion of the Reformation and to the manly freedom of the Revolution. Of the triumph obtained in this important and honourable conflict, both yourself and those who have achieved it reap the fruits-You, in becoming the representative of one of the most illustrious seats of learning, in a nation, which may have a rival, but has no superior, in the civilized world-They, in the services, which a merciful and omnipotent Providence may still place it within the reach of consistent integrity and eminent ability to accomplish. PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. In a path so untrodden as that of the present work, it was scarcely possible that what, I presume, may fairly be called a first effort should be otherwise than defective. In retracing my steps, however, I find fewer errors to correct than I had anticipated: but much has occurred which appears of importance in the way of addition. It was, indeed, obvious, in the first instance, that the nature of the Indexes of Rome would be more adequately represented, and somewhat of the tædium of such discussions be relieved, by examples and observations exhibiting and illustrating their contents. The true apology, perhaps, for this defect is, the labour which it would have required to avoid it. Nor is it impossible that it may be supplied with more effect and benefit by the b |