8 



it should not be able to increase the reputation it 

 lias already acquired ? This inquiry will be most 

 satisfactorily prosecuted by adverting to the lite- 

 rary labours of those who, having either been born 

 here or become entitled to the name of towns- 

 men from a long continuance of domicile among 

 us, have appeared before the world as authors* 

 A bare recapitulation of names of persons and 

 titles of books, must, I am aware, be tedious ; 

 but even if I possessed materials like those by 

 which Dr. Fuller sought to relieve himself from 

 a similar difficulty, the limited time allowed me 

 for addressing you would preclude me from 

 having recourse to them. " I confess/' says 

 that celebrated writer, in a preface to his History 

 of the Worthies of England, " the subject is but 

 " dull in itself, to tell the time and place of men's 

 " birth and deaths, their names, with the names 

 " and numbers of their books ; and therefore this 

 " bare skeleton of time, place and person must 

 " be fleshed with some pleasant passages. To 

 " this intent I have purposely interlaced (not as 

 " meat but as condiment) many delightful stories, 

 " that so the reader, if he do not arise (which I 

 " hope and desire) religiosior, or doctior, with 

 " more piety or learning, at least he may depart 

 "Jucundior, with more pleasure and lawful 

 " delight." 



My present object being to establish an im- 



