C.

Cave’s Historia Litteraria (Vol. ii., p. 230.).—­Part I. appeared at London, 1688.  An Appendix, by Wharton, followed, 1689.  These were reprinted, Geneva, 1693.  Part II., Lond., 1698; repr.  Genev., 1699.  The whole was reprinted, Genev., 1708 and 1720.  After the author’s death a new and improved edition appeared, Oxon., 1740-43; rep.  Basil, 1741-45.  I give the date 1708, not 1705, to the second Geneva impression, on the authority of Walch.

J.E.B.  MAYOR.

* * * * *

MISCELLANEOUS.

NOTES ON BOOKS, SALES, CATALOGUES, ETC.

Collections of Wills have always been regarded, and very justly so, as among the most valuable materials which exist for illustrating the social condition of the people at the period to which they belong.  Executed, as they must be, at moments the most solemn displaying, as we cannot but believe they do, the real feelings which actuate the testators; and having for their object the distribution of existing property, and that of every possible variety of description, it is obvious that they alike call for investigation, and are calculated to repay any labour that may be bestowed upon them.  It is therefore, perhaps, somewhat matter of surprise that the Camden Society should not hitherto have printed any of this interesting class of documents; and that only in the twelfth year of its existence it should have given to its members the very interesting volume of Wills and Inventories from the Registers of the Commissary of Bury St. Edmunds and the Archdeacon of Sudbury, which has been edited for the Society by Mr. Tymms, the active and intelligent Treasurer and Secretary of the Bury and West Suffolk Archaeological Institute.  The selection contains upwards of fifty Wills, dated between 1370 and 1649, and the documents are illustrated by a number of brief but very instructive notes; and as the volume is rendered more useful by a series of very complete indices, we have no doubt it will be as satisfactory to the members as it is creditable to its editor.  Mr. Tymms acknowledges his obligations to Mr. Way and Mr. J. Gough Nicols:  we are sure the Camden Society would be under still greater obligations to those gentlemen if they could be persuaded to undertake the production of the series of Lambeth Wills which was to have been edited by the late Mr. Stapleton, with Mr. Way’s assistance.

When the proprietors of the Gentleman’s Magazine at the commencement of the present year announced their projected improvements in that periodical, we expressed our confidence that they would really and earnestly put forth fresh claims to the favour of the public.  Our anticipations have been fully realised.  Each succeeding number has shown increased energy and talent in the “discovery and establishment of historical truth in all its branches,” and that the conductors of this valuable periodical, the only “Historical Review” in the country, continue to pursue these great objects faithfully and honestly, as in times past, but more diligently and more undividedly.  No student of English history can now dispense with, no library which places historical works upon its shelves can now be complete without The Gentleman’s Magazine and Historical Review.