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ADVERTISEMENT

TO THE FIRST EDITION.

THE favourable reception which the "Registrum Regale" of Eton, 1774, has met with, would be a sufficient apology, were any necessary, for having undertaken the following compilation; in which the Editor has no pretension to any other merit than that of industry and fidelity.

From an official connection' with the Royal School of Westminster, he was led to inquire into its History, and that of the Members of so illustrious a Seminary; of whom at length he gradually obtained the present list, which he has so repeatedly been called upon to transcribe for private use, that he has no doubt of its being acceptable to the public in its present form.

The slight biographical notices, such as they are, he hopes will be found useful. On this head, it would have been a real pleasure to him to have enlarged; but the small portion of leisure he enjoys, and the little opportunity of access to books, must plead his excuse for brevity. Wherever he could, he has referred the reader to more ample accounts; and particularly to Wood, where most of the early Scholars elected to Christ Church are to be found. But Wood is the biographer of one University only, and as yet there is no publication similar at the other; but it is to be hoped that this work will, by holding forth its great men to view in a new light, animate that to publish Athenæ Cantabrigienses, and procure a continuation of the Oxonienses.

It was the Editor's wish to have made the mention of the stations which the various gentlemen have occupied, as copious as possible; but this also, from the difficulty of obtaining accurate accounts, was a task far beyond the possibility of his performing; though the stations of them would oftentimes have promoted a pleasing inquiry to the gentlemen who have been educated at Westminster, by tracing their old school-fellows into their distant retirements, where the intrinsic honour of private conduct

[ Joseph Welch lived nearly forty years as assistant to the Mr. Ginger of that day, and died in 1805.-Nichols's Literary Anecdotes, ix. 38.]

2 For the materials already collated for such a work, see Gough's Topography, vol. i. p. 219-221.

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ADVERTISEMENT TO THE FIRST EDITION.

has often equalled the most substantial honours of professional stations in our Cathedrals, or of the first offices in the State.

By way of embellishment, two views are here inserted, of the ancient and the present Dormitory. The first of them, erected upon stone arches, was originally built as a granary to the monastery of St. Peter; and is here copied from an original drawing. The history of the present building is as follows:—A legacy of 1000l. was given in 1708, for that specific purpose, by Sir Edward Hannes, Knight, physician to Queen Anne. This in 1718 was followed up by a memorial from the then Dean (Bishop Atterbury) and Chapter of Westminster, which obtained from King George I., 10007.; from King George II. (then Prince of Wales), 500l.; from a parliamentary grant, 12007.; and 500l. was afterward added by William Morice, Esq. (the Bishop's son-in-law), for liberty from the Church to dispose of his office of High-bailiff. A noble Earl presented the model, and condescended to survey the building; and on the 24th of April, 1722, being Westminster Election Tuesday, the first stone was laid, with the following inscription engraved on it: "Posuit felicibus (faxit Deus) Auspiciis RICARDUS Com. de BURLINGTON Architectus 7 Kal. Maii, 1722.""

If this work should ever come to another edition, it is hoped that the gentlemen who now honour it with a place in their libraries, will oblige the Editor by such further notices as their researches may obtain, which shall be most respectfully considered before republishing, should the same hand undertake it.

March 1, 1788.

[See also pages 276-7.]

ADVERTISEMENT

TO THE PRESENT EDITION.

IN sending forth a new edition of "Welch's List of Scholars," a few words appear requisite to explain the motives of the Editor in undertaking a task which he was aware he could but slowly, and even thus very inadequately execute.

As upwards of half a century had elapsed since the appearance of Welch's book, it seemed to many persons interested in the School, that the time was come for the publication of a new edition, and Mr. Ginger (who fills the situation at the School which his father and grandfather held before him), in compliance with the general demand, set on foot a list of subscribers. Only a few notes, however, had been collected for the work, and no person seemed inclined to enter upon the task of Editor. Anxious for the accomplishment of the work, urged by many of his friends, and encouraged by several persons to whose judgment all deference was due by him, the present Editor consented to undertake the task. From the first, he distinctly stated that other necessary avocations would leave him a comparatively small portion of time to devote to the work, and that, consequently, he could not bind himself to any particular time for its completion. Various circumstances have combined to make such a caution more necessary than even he at that time anticipated. His own profession made during several years an increasing demand upon his time; indisposition at more than one period forced him to avoid any additional labours to those of his daily calling; but chiefly, he found the task much more onerous and engrossing than he had expected. He can only say, that to none has the delay been more irksome than to himself; he trusts, indeed, that to the work itself it may not have been without some advantage. For as the value of such a work must mainly depend upon its accuracy, so nothing but a constant reference to books usually found only in public libraries, and a careful comparison of one work with another, can ensure accuracy, where ancient dates and ancient names are concerned, and where the connection of persons (who lived, perhaps, three centuries ago) is to be established with certain facts.

A glance at the pages may give some notion of the labour which has been performed; for, to almost every one of the numerous names which

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