S. Mis. 53. 35 



your great nation. Without incurring the imputation of falling into 

 the ordinary error made by collectors, in attaching a fictitious value to 

 relics which ha\'e necessarily required the expenditure of considerable 

 time and exertion to bring together, it way, perhaps, be allowed me to 

 entertain a hope that these fragments of an earlier age, now co-iiided 

 to your care, may be hereafter regarded of importance in the list of 

 materials which will some day assist in producing a history ot social 

 progress. 



Mr. Henry Stevens, F. S. A., the agent to the Smithsonian Institution 

 in England, has kindly undertaken to forward the collection to you on 

 an early opportunity. 



I feel sure you will excuse the liberty I am taking in addressing you 

 on this subject ; and I have the honor to be, sir, 

 Your obedient, faithful servant, 



J. O. HALLIWELL.* 



Prof. Joseph PIenry, 



Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, IVashington. 



* Since the above account was written, we have received from the munificent donor of this 

 collection a quarto volume of one hundred and twenty pages, beautifully printed on drawing 

 paper, with the following title : 



" Some account of a collection of several thousand bills, accounts, and inventories, illus- 

 trating the history of prices between the years 1650 and 1750. Presented to the Smithso- 

 nian Institution, Washington, by James Orchard Halliwell, esq., F. R. S., Hon. M. R. I. A., 

 Hon. M. R. S. L., F. S. A., etc., Bri.xton Hill; printed for private circulation only: ](S52." 



This work was printed at Mr, Halliwell's expense, and is of itself a volume of great .value 

 and interest. Forever honored be such liberality ! 



The preface to this volume we quote entire : 



PREFACE. 



The unique collection of commercial and domestic statistical documents — a very brief 

 notice of which, accompanied by a few extracts to exhibit their general character, will be 

 found in the following pages — was formed years ago with the view of assisting in the compila- 

 tion of a projected work on the history of prices. That design has now been abandoned; but 

 the anxiety of the collector that the records thus brought together should be preserved in a 

 permanent library fjr the use of future in({uirers, has resulted in the presentation of them to 

 the people of the United States, who, beyond all others, are most likely to produce a writer 

 on t*iie history of commerce willing to make use of materials which will strikingly illustrate 

 the iunnonse commercial progress the world has achieved during two centuries. 



The collection includes about seven thousand separate documents, bound in fifty-four vol- 

 umes, in the following ordtu" 



Vols. I to XXLX. — A collection of several thousand bills, accounts, and inventories, com- 

 mencing with the year ]G:J2, but chielly relating to the period between the years 1060 and 

 175U. There are included amongst them, a considerable number of the autograph private 

 account-books, written on small leaves in a minute hand, of Sir John Newton, Bart., of Barr's 

 Court, Co. Gloucester. In the twenty-ninth volume are a few documents of a later date. 4to. 



Vols. XXX to XXXII. — Three volumes containing undated documents, including a large 

 proportion of early and curious tradesmen's bills. 4to. 



Vol. XXXIII. — Account-book of J. lley wood, commencing December 24, 1G94. Narrow 

 folio. 



V(d. XXXIV. — " The accounts of the Honorable John Archer, esq., from the laste ajusting 

 of the Essex book for Coopersale, being June the 30tli, 17{)3." Some of these accounts are 

 very cojiious. Fol. 



Vol. XXXV. — A household account-book of the Archer family, 170!> to 1711. Small 4to. 



Vol. XXXVI. — Account-book of a person of the name of rdham, commencing in 1707 and 

 extending to 1716. 4to. 



Vol. XXXVII. — " Robert Garlicke's account in Benham farme," commencing September 

 9, 1738. F.d. 



Vol. XXXVIII. — A volume lettered "Estates of the Bacon family," but including various 

 inventories. Fol. 



