20 'Authors' Dedications in Seventeenth Century [Feb. 16, 



present. Hall provides examples of many varieties of dedication. 

 He links together theology and literature. " The children of the 

 bondman are the goods of the parent's master " is his principle in 

 dedicating " Heaven upon Earth " to his father's employer, the Earl 

 of Huntingdon. As a royal cliaplain, he naturally dedicated many 

 works to Prince Henry and James I. These dedications illustrate 

 the incidental historical value of such compositions. Fuller's 

 numerous dedications are filled with side-lights on men and events. 

 An excellent example is his dedication of the Fifth Book of his 

 *' Church History " to Cranfield, Earl of Middlesex. In varying 

 measure the same kind of value attaches to all Fuller's numerous 

 dedications. The extent of his acquaintance is indicated by the 

 number and variety of his patrons, which Mr. Brewer holds to be 

 also the disproof of the imputation of "intentional dishonesty, 

 designed to curry favour with the reigning powers," which was 

 brought against him in his lifetime and since. His fondness for 

 infant-patrons, and defence of it. Fuller's dedicatory epistles are 

 fullest of personal interest ; Jeremy Taylor's have the highest literary 

 quality. These were sometimes in length and form rather essays 

 than epistles, e.g., the dedication of " The Liberty of Prophesying." 

 He regards the epistle dedicatory as far more than a merely compli- 

 mentary composition ; and treats it rather as a modern writer would 

 treat his preface or introduction. His dedication of the first edition 

 of " The Great Exemplar " to the second Lady Carbery is a curious 

 example of tactfulness. In the dedication of " A Collection of 

 Polemical and Moral Discourses" to Lord Hatton in 1657, Taylor 

 discusses patrons and books. Charles II., an edifying figure in 

 dedicatory epistles. His romantic history and the re-establishment 

 of the national hierarchy as a consequence of his restoration may 

 explain this. Eobert Barclay's dedication of the " Apology," 1675, 

 a notable exception to the general tone of Caroline dedications. 

 Possibly the " Apology " may have reached the King through the 

 Duke of York, with whom Barclay was acquainted. Heylyn and 

 Burnet tried to connect the Restoration with their polemical ol)ject 

 in writing. A selection of " dedicatory epistles " of the seventeenth 

 century, edited by a competent historian, would be both serviceable 

 to students and interesting to the general reader. 



[H. H. H.] 



WEEKLY EVENING MEETING, 

 Friday, February 28, 1917. 

 [No Discourse Delivered.] 



