ADVERTISEMENT TO ORIGINAL “EDITION; 
Tue Author of the following Letters takes the liberty, with 
all proper deference, of laying before the public his idea of 
parochial history, which, he thinks, ought to consist of natural 
productions and occurrences as well as antiquities. He isalso 
of opinion that if stationary men would pay some attention to 
the districts on which they reside, and would publish their 
thoughts respecting the objects that surround them, from such 
materials might be drawn the most complete county-histories, 
which are still wanting in several parts of this kingdom, and in 
particular in the county of Southampton. 
And here he seizes the first opportunity, though a late one, 
of returning his most grateful acknowledgments to the reverend 
the President and the reverend and worthy the Fellows of 
Magdalen College in the University of Oxford, for their liberal 
behaviour in permitting their archives to be searched by a 
member of their own society, so far as the evidences therein 
contained might respect the parish and priory of Selborne. 
To that gentleman also, and his assistant, whose Jabours and 
attention could only be equalled by the very kind manner 
in which they were bestowed, many and great obligations 
are also due. 
Of the authenticity of the documents above mentioned there 
can be no doubt, since they consist of the identical deeds 
