H

The completion of the Tenth Volume must be explained by the following brief statement.-This Volume consists of five Parts, and comprises the History of London and Westminster, together with that of the county of Middlesex, The eighteen first Numbers, (ending at page 720, of the Second Part,) were written by Mr. Brayley. It then became desirable to request other assistance; and the task of finishing the topographical account of London and Westminster was undertaken by the Rev. J. Nightingale. The Part comprising delineations of Middlesex, as a county separate from the metropolis, was written by Mr. J. Norris Brewer, and contains a notice of every parish in that county.It is presumed that the Public will daly appreciate the difficulty of continuing the pages relating to London and Westminster, on a plan not laid down by the writer.*

In regard to the embellishments, the Publisher can truly aver, that engravers of the greatest eminence, or promise, have been anxiously sought

after,

*The above five Parts, or Volumes, of the "BEAUTIES OF ENGLAND, are published separately, under the following title: "Loudon and Middlesex; or an Historical, Commercial, and Descriptive Survey of the Metropolis of Great Britain, including Sketches of its Environs, and a Topographical Account of the most remarkable Places in the above County, Illustrated with Engravings." The price of the Work, in boards, is 64, 58 sinall paper; and large paper, 101.

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after, and their exertions liberally remunerated. He trusts, therefore, that the Plates will be found generally executed with due talent and fidelity.

On finally taking leave of the Subscribers to this Work, and (on the present occasion) of its numerous friends, the Publisher and Proprietors have the sincere gratification arising from a consciousness of having endeavoured to realize every promise held forth at the commencement of the concern, with the exception of a List of the Subscribers. This promise was made in the infancy of the undertaking; and the subsequent extension of patronage, and alterations proceeding from the great length of time employed in its completion, 'will, it is confidently hoped, plead a sufficient apology for the abandonment of such a part of the original design.

That very arduous part of the promised contents, an INTRODUCTION, comprising “a Review of British, Roman, and Saxon History," has been performed, at an expense of time and labour to which the size of the Volume is by no means correspondent.

The Subscribers will recollect that the Introductory Essay was originally intended to form part of the first Volume, but that its execution was deferred, on account of "the length of time, and ́extensive reading, necessary to the full investigation and arrangement of the numerous and complex sub

ect

jects it involves."*-It is hoped that the same causes of delay will obtain an excuse for its late appearance, when consigned to the hand of a writer unconnected with the work in its early stages., But he has great pleasure in acknowledging the friendly conduct of MR. BRITTON, who has, on every occasion, afforded with most obliging liberality, such information as was requested concerning the plan on which it was originally intended that the Introduction should be executed; and has, also, favoured the author with the loan of several rare books.

It was observed, in a former address to the Subscribers, that "The publication of THE BEAUTIES OF ENGLAND AND WALES, in a series of detached parts, rendered unavoidable a vast number of allusions to the state of the country in preceding times; and to the manners and endowments of the inhabitants, and the prevailing laws, institutions, and arts at different periods of history. To have elucidated these on every occurrence would have led to innumerable repetitions; and entirely to omit all elucidation would leave the Work much less complete and satisfactory than the Proprietors were desirous it should ultimately remain in the hands of their Subscribers. Necessity, therefore, has combined with inclination in throwing together, as Introductory matter, whatever is of general application."

Such

Advertisement on the completion of the first Volume of the Beauties of England and Wales.

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Such terms of explanation, however, scarcely apply to the whole of the desiderata which became obvious on a more mature consideration of the sub- · ject. The requisite topics of disquisition in a complete introduction to the study of English and Welsh Topography, were, indeed, found to be so multifarious, that it remained only to make a selection of the classes imperatively demanding notice.

In prosecuting this choice of subjects, the Editor has been guided by an estimate of the objects most frequently occurring in topographical re-/ searches, and least illustrated by remarks to be found, in a condensed form, in books easily attainable. He has, therefore, selected, as primary objects of attention, those subjects of antiquarian enquiry. which form so large and interesting a portion of the "Beauties;" and concerning which the most satisfactory information is scattered in many weighty, recondite, and very expensive works.

In the execution of his task he has abstained, in general practice, from the delivery of individual opinion; and has considered it his duty to present a digest of the remarks afforded by the most judicious writers upon every subject chosen for discus- : sion. Thus endeavouring to render the Introduction to the Beauties," a brief summary of anti-i quarian observations on such topics as appeared to be most, essential in topographical investigations.

If the reader should deem his pages deficient in that relief which springs from anecdote, and which,

has

has been cultivated in our County delineations, he is requested to recollect that the unavoidable limits of the Introduction prevented much attention to incidental remark, or studied ornament ; and that the first, great object of the Editor was the con veyance of inforniation. In attempting this office, it has been his endeavour to facilitate as much as pos sible the study of antiquities, by rendering the ap! proaches easy and by referring, in the margin, to works of most ready intelligence, while more ab-† struse authorities are left for notice in the appended list of Books treating on the collective topography and antiquities of this country.

Anxious to avail himself of the opportunity presented by the Introductory Volume, the Editor, under the direction of the Publisher, has collected from the writers of several counties some additional corrections, together with a few particulars of intelligence obtained since the production of their respective volumes, or calculated to supply omissions almost inevitable to the celerity of periodical publication.

It has likewise been judged desirable to insert in this volume, summaries of the population, accord-~ ing to the returns made under the authority of Parliament in the year 1811, for all such counties as were described in the Beauties" before the pub-} lication of those returns. Thus, as far as was atad tainable, the Proprietors have endeavoured to render their work applicable, in every important

point,