Once more, he says that "He that lay in a golden urn eminently above the earth, was not like to find the quiet of his bones: many of these urns were broke by a vulgar discoverer in hope of enclosed treasure." I Of this thievish propensity also he narrowly escaped furnishing an example; for if the inscription on his coffin, with its enigmatical statement about the change of lead into gold, had been placed 'eminently above the earth," his "spagyric body" would hardly have been left at peace for one hundred and sixty years. 66 In the course of this work I have troubled so many of my friends with queries and requests of various kinds, that it would appear ostentatious and pedantic if I were to attempt to enumerate them all. I am, however, none the less thankful to them for their assistance, without which I am quite sensible that the work would have been far more imperfect than it is. But I must especially mention my obligation to the Rev. W. D. MACRAY, M.A., F.S.A., for his constant kindness in consulting in the Bodleian Library books which I had no opportunity of using myself:—and I wish also (if I may do so without impertinence,) to express my sense of the great utility of Notes and Queries, to which (besides other advantages,) I owe my introduction to Mr. WILKIN'S Son, and the use of his Father's books. The portrait of Sir Thomas Browne which forms the vignette to this volume was engraved by the late C. H. Jeens from a painting in the Library of the Royal College of Physicians of London. The name of the artist is unknown, but the donor of the picture is conjectured to be Dr. Edward Browne, son of Sir Thomas Browne, and a well-known London physician, who was President of the College in 1704. Let me end this Preface with two short extracts from Sir T. B.'s writings, one for the consideration of editors and commentators, the other for that of critics and reviewers : "I have seen a grammarian tower and plume himself over a single line in Horace, and show more pride in the construction of one Ode than the author in the composure of the whole book."-Rel. Med., ii. 8, p. 108. "Bring candid eyes unto the perusal of men's works, and let not zoilism or detraction blast wellintended labours."-Chr. Mor., ii. 2, p. 186. W. A. G. APPENDIX No. I. CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE OF DATES CONNECTED WITH SIR THOMAS BROWNE. SIR THOMAS BROWNE'S LIFE. Born in London, Oct. 19....... Admitted to a Scholarship at Matriculated at Broadgate) CONTEMPORARY PERSONS AND EVENTS.' 1576. Rodolph II., Emperor of Germany. 1604. Ahmed I., Sultan. 1605. April 1, Leo XI., Pope. 1609. J. J. Scaliger died ;-Suckling born. 1612. Matthias, Emperor of Germany. 1612. Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden. 1616. Shakspeare and Cervantes died. 1617. Mustafa I., Sultan. 1618. Othman II., ditto ;-Cowley born. 1619. Ferdinand II., Emperor of Germany. 1621. Gregory XV., Pope. 1622. Mustafa I. restored;-Molière born. 1623. Urban VIII., Pope ;-Pascal born. 1623. Murad IV.. Sultan. 1624. Sydenham born. 1625. Charles I., King of Great Britain. The names of contemporary sovereigns are introduced in reference APPENDIX No. II. NOTE ON THE DISCOVERY OF THE REMAINS OF SIR THOMAS BROWNE IN 1840. By ROBERT FITCH,' ESQ., F.G.S. [Extracted from the Proceedings of the Archæological Institute, 1847.] "In August, 1840, some workmen, who were employed in digging a vault in the chancel of the church of St. Peter's Mancroft, Norwich, accidentally broke, with a blow of the pick-axe, the lid of a coffin, which proved to be that of [Sir Thomas Browne,] whose residence within its walls conferred honour on Norwich in olden times. This circumstance afforded me an opportunity of inspecting the remains: the bones of the skeleton were found to be in good preservation, particularly those of the skull; the forehead was remarkably low and depressed, the head unusually long, the back part exhibiting an uncommon appearance of depth and capaciousness; the brain was considerable in quantity, quite brown and unctuous; the hair profuse and perfect, of a fine auburn colour, similar to that in the portrait presented to the parish by Dr. Howman, and exhibited at the meeting of the Institute in 1847, and which is carefully preserved in [Mr. Fitch's name was by mistake printed Firth in some of the reviews at the time of the discovery, and the error has been perpetuated almost ever |