DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.53269#0082
( 42 )
quaintance with thefe branches of literature is not attainable in a fedentary:
life, he earneftly entertained a delire of vifiting fuch countries, as might
afford materials for the improvement of his own knowledge, and the fer-
vice of the public. To fuch a defign his own finances were by no means
equal : the public therefore readily accepted his propofals, and engaged
for an annual fubfcription for five years, in order to enable him to colleCt
whatever might throw any light upon the language, antiquities, or natural'
hiflory, of thofe countries he propofed to vifit.
In purfuance of this plan, he fet out for Wales in 1696, and returned:
to Oxford 1697, probably bringing with him part of that large collection
of Welch fofills, now preferved in the lower room of the Mufeum. In
1698, accompanied by Meffrs. William Jones, Robert Wynne and David.
Parry, he revifited different parts of Wales, and the adjoining counties.
I his year he finiflied the Lythopbylacium Britannicum, which he expeCted'
the univerfity would have printed at their own expence; but he was de-
ceived ; and it would perhaps never have been made public, had not fome
of his noble and learned patrons undertaken it at their own charge : one hun-
dred and twenty impreffions only (in 1699)' were ffiruck off, at the expence of
lord chancellor Somers, the earl of Dorfet, lord Halifax, iir Ifaac Newton,
fir Hans Sloan, Dr. Afton, Dr. Geoffray of Paris, Dr. Martin Lifter, and'’
Dr. Tancred Robinfon, under the care and infpeCtion of the perfonlaft men-
tioned ; but as that gentleman had net the fpecimens by him of which it
treats, nor the author to confuTt upon any difficulty, it appeared fo full
of inaccuracies as to need as well as deferve- a fecond edition* This Mr..
Lhuyd was preparing for the prefs, as he mentions in feveral of his letters-
to Dr. Lifter; but its publication was prevented by his death..
In 1699, while the work abovementioned was paffing through the prefs,,
he went to Anglefea, on a vifit to his intimate friend Mr.. Henry Rowland,,
author of the Mona Antiqua. Soon after he viflted Scotland, and in the
beginning of the following year paffed from thence to Ireland. Towards
the clofe of 1700 he returned from that country to Cornwall, applying.him-
felf to the ftudy of the Cornifh language, and in collecting uncommon plants
and foffils. His curio fity and indefatigable induflry next led him to crofs the
Channel, in fearch of Armorican antiquities on the coaft of France ; but
he fcarce had been there any time, before himfelf and his companion, Mr.
.David Parry, were taken up as fpies, committed prifoners to the caftle
of Breit, and their papers leized.
quaintance with thefe branches of literature is not attainable in a fedentary:
life, he earneftly entertained a delire of vifiting fuch countries, as might
afford materials for the improvement of his own knowledge, and the fer-
vice of the public. To fuch a defign his own finances were by no means
equal : the public therefore readily accepted his propofals, and engaged
for an annual fubfcription for five years, in order to enable him to colleCt
whatever might throw any light upon the language, antiquities, or natural'
hiflory, of thofe countries he propofed to vifit.
In purfuance of this plan, he fet out for Wales in 1696, and returned:
to Oxford 1697, probably bringing with him part of that large collection
of Welch fofills, now preferved in the lower room of the Mufeum. In
1698, accompanied by Meffrs. William Jones, Robert Wynne and David.
Parry, he revifited different parts of Wales, and the adjoining counties.
I his year he finiflied the Lythopbylacium Britannicum, which he expeCted'
the univerfity would have printed at their own expence; but he was de-
ceived ; and it would perhaps never have been made public, had not fome
of his noble and learned patrons undertaken it at their own charge : one hun-
dred and twenty impreffions only (in 1699)' were ffiruck off, at the expence of
lord chancellor Somers, the earl of Dorfet, lord Halifax, iir Ifaac Newton,
fir Hans Sloan, Dr. Afton, Dr. Geoffray of Paris, Dr. Martin Lifter, and'’
Dr. Tancred Robinfon, under the care and infpeCtion of the perfonlaft men-
tioned ; but as that gentleman had net the fpecimens by him of which it
treats, nor the author to confuTt upon any difficulty, it appeared fo full
of inaccuracies as to need as well as deferve- a fecond edition* This Mr..
Lhuyd was preparing for the prefs, as he mentions in feveral of his letters-
to Dr. Lifter; but its publication was prevented by his death..
In 1699, while the work abovementioned was paffing through the prefs,,
he went to Anglefea, on a vifit to his intimate friend Mr.. Henry Rowland,,
author of the Mona Antiqua. Soon after he viflted Scotland, and in the
beginning of the following year paffed from thence to Ireland. Towards
the clofe of 1700 he returned from that country to Cornwall, applying.him-
felf to the ftudy of the Cornifh language, and in collecting uncommon plants
and foffils. His curio fity and indefatigable induflry next led him to crofs the
Channel, in fearch of Armorican antiquities on the coaft of France ; but
he fcarce had been there any time, before himfelf and his companion, Mr.
.David Parry, were taken up as fpies, committed prifoners to the caftle
of Breit, and their papers leized.