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noise, business, and commerce, not to say vanity. Only the poor booksellers have been indeed ill treated by Vulcan; so many noble impressions consumed by their trusting them to the churches, as the loss is estimated near two hundred thousand pounds, which will be an extraordinary detriment to the whole republic of learning. In the meantime, the King and Parliament are infinitely zealous for the rebuilding of our ruins; and I believe it will universally be the employment of the next spring. They are now busied with adjusting the claims of each proprietor, that so they may dispose things for the building after the noblest model. Everybody brings in his idea: amongst the rest I presented his Majesty with my own conceptions, with a discourse annexed. It was the second that was seen within two days after the conflagration: but Dr. Wren had got the start of me. Both of us did coincide so frequently, that his Majesty was not displeased with it, and it caused divers alterations; and truly there was never a more glorious phoenix upon earth, if it do at last emerge out of these cinders, and as the design is laid with the present fervour of the undertakers. But these things are as yet immature; and I pray God we may enjoy peace to encourage those fair dispositions. The miracle is, I have never in my life observed a more universal resignation, less repining amongst sufferers: which makes me hope that God has yet thoughts of mercy towards us. Judgments do not always end where they begin; and therefore let none exult over our calamities. We know not whose turn it may be next. But, Sir, I forbear to entertain you longer on these sad reflections; but persist to beg of you not to suffer any transportations unbecoming a man of virtue; resolve to preserve yourself, if it be possible, for better times, the good and restoration of your country, and the comfort of your friends and relations, and amongst them of, Sir,

Your, &c.

These plans were afterwards printed by the Society of Antiquaries, and have been repeatedly engraved for the various histories of London. That by Mr. Evelyn is erroneously inscribed "Sir John Evelyn."

Philip Dumaresque to John Evelyn.

Jersey, 12th Nov. 1666.

SIR, I should acknowledge but in part the obligations I have to your lady, if I did not confess myself equally indebted to you; for, besides the particular kindness to me, I am obliged, with all his Majesty's subjects, for that excellent and useful piece of yours of planting and gardening, which Mr. Messerney did lend me to read; the subjects therein so accurately handled being so suitable to my inclination and kind of life, that no fear of invasion from our ill neighbours can hinder me from putting daily in practice. some of the directions therein prescribed. I was in good hopes to have had the honour of giving you the particulars of my proficiency myself during this winter, wherein there was some likelihood there would be no occasion for our stay here; but our governor's commands have been so absolute to all that desired leave but for two months only, that I am out of hopes to pay you in person the respects I owe you for your favours; but must be content, till a happier opportunity, to entreat from your goodness to believe that there is nothing I esteem more than the happiness to be accounted by you, as I am really, Sir,

Your most humble and obliged servant,
PHILIP DUMAREsque.

John Evelyn to Lord Chancellor Clarendon.

Mr LORD,

Sayes Court, 27th Nov. 1666.

I did the other day in Westminster Hall, give my Lord Cornbury, your lordship's son, my thoughts briefly concerning a most needful reformation for the transmitting a clearer stream for the future from the press, by directing to immaculate copies of such books as, being vended in great proportions, do, for want of good editions amongst us, export extraordinary sums of money, to our no less

detriment than shame; and I am so well satisfied of the honour which a redress in this kind will procure even to posterity (however small the present instance may appear to some in a superficial view) that I think myself obliged to wish that your Lordship may not conceive it unworthy of your patronage. The affair is this.

Since the late deplorable conflagration, in which the stationers have been exceedingly ruined, there is like to be an extraordinary penury and scarcity of classic authors, &c., used in grammar schools; so, as of necessity, they must suddenly be reprinted. My Lord may please to understand that our booksellers follow their own judgment in printing the ancient authors, according to such text as they found extant, when first they entered their copy; whereas, out of the MSS. collated by the industry of later critics, those authors are exceedingly improved. For instance, about thirty years since Justin was corrected by Isaac Vossius, in many hundreds of places most material to sense and elegancy; and has since been frequently reprinted in Holland after the purer copy, but with us, still according to the old reading. The like has Florus, Seneca's tragedies, and near all the rest, which have in the mean time been castigated abroad by several learned hands; which, besides that it makes ours to be rejected, and dishonours our nation, so does it no little detriment to learning, and to the treasure of the nation in proportion. The cause of this is principally the stationer driving as hard and cruel a bargain with the printer as he can, and the printer taking up any smatterer in the tongues, to be the less loser; an exactness in this no ways importing the stipulation; by which means errors repeat and multiply in every edition, and that most notoriously in some most necessary school-books of value, which they obtrude upon the buyer, unless men will be at unreasonable rates for foreign editions. Your Lordship does by this perceive the mischievous effects of this avarice and negligence in them.

And now towards the removing these causes of the decay of typography, not only as to this particular, but in general, it is humbly proposed to consider whether it might not be expedient: first, that inspection be had what text of the Greek and Latin authors should be followed in future

impressions; secondly, that a censor be established to take care and caution of all presses in London, that they be provided with able correctors, principally for school-books, which are of large and iterated impressions; thirdly, that the charge thereof be advanced by the company, which is but just, and will be easily reimbursed, upon an allowance arising from better and more valuable copies; since it is but reason that whoever builds a house be at the charges of surveying; and if it stand in relation to the public (as this does), that he be obliged to it.

My Lord, these reflections are not crudely represented, but upon mature advice and conference with learned persons with whom I now and then converse; and they are highly worthy your Lordship's interesting your power and authority to reform it, and will be inserted into the glorious things of your story, and adorn your memory. Great persons heretofore did take care of these matters, and it has consecrated their names. The season is also now most proper for it, that this sad calamity has mortified a company which was exceedingly haughty and difficult to manage to any useful reformation; and therefore (well knowing the benefit which would accrue to the public by so noble an attempt), I could not but recommend it to your Lordship out of the pure sense of gratitude I have to wish your Lordship all the happy occasions of increasing your honour, for the favours you always show me, and the obligations I have to your particular friendship and kindness. My Lord, if this paper find acceptance, I would be bold to add some farther hints for the carrying it on to some perfection; for, besides all I have said, there will need pains in reading, consulting MSS., and conference with learned men, good indexes, apt divisions, chapters, and verses, as the "Dutch Variorum," embellishments of Roman and Italic letters to separate inserted speeches (especially in historians and sententious authors), and which adds to the use and lustre, together with a choice of succinct notes after more terse and profitable copies. For it is a shame that even such as our own countryman Farnaby has published should be sold us from other countries, because our own editions are so much inferior to them. If your Lordship would set your heart upon other particulars concerning the reformation of our English press,

I could give instance in some of high reputation and no mean advantage. But I would rejoice to see but this take effect.

SIR,

My Lord, I kiss your Lordship's hands, &c.

John Evelyn to Dr. Wilkins.'

I have read Mr. Tillotson's "Rule of Faith," and am obliged to render him thanks for the benefit I acknowledge to have received by it. Never in my life did I see a thing more illustrated, more convincing, unless men will be blind because they will be so. I am infinitely pleased with his equal style, dispassionaté treatment, and Christian temper to that important adversary: for my part, I look upon that business as dispatched, and expect only the grimaces and agonies of dying and desperate men for the future; plainly the wound is mortal.

Sir, that I presume to send you the consequence of what I formerly published in English, in the controversy betwixt the Jesuits and the Jansenists, speaks rather my obedience to a command from that great person,' than my abilities to have undertaken, or acquitted myself as I ought. I annexed an Epistolary Preface, not to instruct such as you are, in anything which you do not know; but for their sakes, who, reading the book, might possibly conceive the French kings to have been the only persons in danger: and because I hope it may receive your suffrage as to the pertinence of it pro hic et nunc.

I am heartily sorry that some indispensable avocations frequently deprive me of your meetings at Gresham College, and particularly that I cannot be there on Wednesday; his Majesty having enjoined me to repair to-morrow to Chatham, for the taking order about erecting an infirmary, capable to entertain about 500 sick persons, and all to be finished against the next occasion. If Almighty God do not vouchsafe to accept this service, as well as the King my master, I shall be an intolerable loser, by being so long diverted from

At this time Dean of Ripon. See Diary, vol. i. pp. 305. The allusions in this letter determine its date. The Lord Chancellor.

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