Nov. 2. 1850.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



371 



A PI/AN FOK A CHUECH-HISTORT SOCIETT. 



The formation of a Society, having for its object 

 any special literary service, is a matter so closely 

 connected with the very purpose for which this 

 paper was established, that we shall only be carry- 

 ing out that purpose by calling the attention of 

 our readers to a small pamphlet in which our 

 valued correspondent Dk. MaitLxInd offers a i'ew 

 suggestions to all who may be interested in the 

 formation of a " Church-History Society, and 

 willing to co-operate in such a design." 



Dr. Maitland's sugjiestions are : 



1. The collection of a library containing the 

 books particularly required for the objects of the 

 proposed society : and those who have not paid 

 attention to the subject will perhaps be surprised 

 to learn that in Dk. Maitland's opinion (and fcvr 

 higher authorities can be found on this point), "A 

 moderate- sized room would hold such a library, 

 and a very few hundred pounds would pay for it." 

 On the advantage of this plan to the editors of the 

 works to be published by the Society, it can 

 scarcely be necessary to insist ; but other benefits 

 would result from the formation of such a library, 

 for which we may refer, however, to the pamphlet 

 itself. 



The next points treated of are the works to be 

 undertaken by the Society ; which may briefly be 

 described as 



2. New and corrected editions of works already 

 known and esteemed; critical editions, for instance, 

 of such well-known writers as Fox, Fuller, Burnet, 

 and Strype : and the completion, by way of " post- 

 ing up," of such as have become defective through 

 lapse of time, like Le Neve's Faisti, Godwin's 

 De PresuUbas, &c. 



3. The compihition of such original works as 

 may be considered desiderata. A General Church- 

 History on such a scale, and so I'ar entering into 

 details as to interest a reader, is not to be found in 

 our langu.ige ; nor has the Church of England any 

 thing like the Gallia Christiana or Italia Sacra. 

 We mention these merely as instances, referring, 

 of course, for furllier illustration to the pamplilet 

 itself, merely quoting the following paragraph : — 



" Hut on the subject of publication, I must add 

 one thing moro, wliich appears to me to be of vital 

 importance to ihi! respectability and efficiency of such 

 a Society. It must not build its hopi'S, and stake its 

 existence, on the cupidity of subscribers — it must not 

 live on appeals to their covctousness — it must not be, 

 nor act as if it were, a joint-stock company formed to 

 undersell the trade. It must not rest on the chance of 

 getting subscribers who will shut their eyes, and open 

 their mouths, and take what is given them, on a mere 

 assurance that it shall be more in qu.intity for the 

 money, than a bookseller can aflTurd to ofl'er." 



Dk. Maitland's fourth section, on the Discovery 



of Materials^ tempts us to further extracts. After 

 remarking that 



" It would be a most Important and valuable part 

 of the Society's work to discover in various ways — 

 chiefly by the employing fit ])ersons to look for, inspect, 

 and make known — such materials for Church- History 

 as remain unpublished." 



And 



" That no person, not wholly illiterate and ignorant 

 of Church-History, could go about the metropolis only, 

 seeking after such matters during one month, without 

 gathering into his note-book much valuable matter." 



The Doctor proceeds : 



" By those who have not been led to consideration 

 or inquiry upon the subject, this may be deemed a 

 mere speculation ; but those who are evci^ slightly 

 acquainted with the real state of things, will, I believe, 

 agree with me that if men, respectable and in earnest, 

 and moderately informed, would only set about the 

 matter, they woidd soon be astonished at the ease and 

 rapidity with which they would accumulate interesting 

 and valuable matter. Transcribing and printing, it is 

 admitted, are expensive processes, and little could be 

 eft'octed by them at first ; but merely to make known 

 to the world by hasty, imperfect, even blundering, lists 

 or indexes, that things unsought and unknown exist, 

 would be an invaluable benefit." 



We pass over the section on Correspondence, 

 and that on the establishment of Provincial So- 

 cieties; but from the last. On the Privileges of 

 Members, we quote at even greater length. 



"It is but honest to confess in plain terms, that the 

 chief and most obvious privilege of members at first, 

 is likely to be little more than a satisfactory belief that 

 they are doing a good work, and serving tiieir genera- 

 tion. In a word, tl}e nicely-balanced quid pro ijuo is 

 not offered. It might be jjrudent for the present to 

 confine one's self to a positive assurance that the So- 

 ciety will, at the worst, miike as good a return as several 

 other societies formed for the promotion and cultivation 

 of other branches of knowledge If subscribers will 

 only be content to pay as much, and receive as little, as 

 the fellows of the Royal and Antiquarian Societies, the 

 Churcli-IIistory Society will thrive. But considering 

 the nature and object of the proposed Society, I cannot 

 hel]) expressing my confidence that there are many 

 Christian people who will give their money freely, and 

 no more wish to have part of it returned, th:in if they 

 had put it into a plate at a church-door — let them only 

 be satisfied that it will not be embezzled or turned into 

 waste ))aper. 



" At the same time, the members of the Society might 

 derive some legitimate benefits. They would have 

 constantly il)crea^ing advantages from the use of their 

 library, which would gradually become, not only rich 

 in l)ook';, but in transcripts, catalogues, indexes, notices, 

 &c., not to be found together elsewhere. Of all these 

 they woidd have a right to as much use and advantage 

 as joint-proprietors could enjoy without hindrance to 

 each other. With regard to works jjublished by the 

 Society, they might reasonably expect to be supplied 



