li ADVERTISEMENT. 



common occurrences ; or if he should by any means, through his 

 researches, have lent an helping hand towards the enlargement of the 

 boundaries of historical and topographical knowledge ; or if he should 

 have thrown some small light upon ancient customs and manners, and 

 especially on those that were monastic ; his purpose will be fully 

 answered. But if he should not have been successful in any of these 

 Ms intentions, yet there remains this consolation behind that these 

 his pursuits, by keeping the body and mind employed, have, under 

 Providence, contributed to much health and cheerfulness of spirits, 

 even to old age: and, what still adds to his happiness, have led him 

 to the knowledge of a circle of gentlemen whose intelligent communi- 

 cations, as they have afforded him much pleasing information, so, 

 could he flatter himself with a continuation of them, would they ever 

 be deemed a matter of singular satisfaction and improvement. 



Such is the modest address with which the author of the following 

 pages ushered his interesting work into the world, and no apology 

 can be necessary for adding a complete edition of the work to the 

 many already before the public. In furnishing notes to the work, I have 

 been actuated by a warm desire to induce all who may honour them with 

 a perusal, to apply personally to the investigation of the beautiful works 

 of creation, every where so lavishly bestowed for our contemplation. 

 It was this object, on the part of the author, quite unalloyed by any 

 expectations of celebrity, which originally led him to the publication 

 of his most interesting series of letters ; and the popularity of this 

 unassuming volume abundantly testifies to the well-merited success 

 which has already (it may well be presumed) more than crowned the 

 most ardent hopes indulged in by this faithful historian of his native 

 village. I fear the annotations to the natural history portion attest 

 too evidently the want of sufficient leisure, and bear the impress of a 

 mind harassed by conflicting occupations ; but which cleaves to its 

 favourite pursuit in defiance of every obstacle and interruption, and 

 eagerly avails itself of every occasion to contribute a mite to the 

 stock of general information. 



Having committed an error, at page 75, in asserting that the Coast 

 chaffer (Melolontha fallo) does not occur in Britain, I gladly seize 

 the opportunity which here offers to contradict the statement ; having 

 been since informed that this fine beetle has been met with, in con- 

 siderable abundance, in two or three localities along the southern 

 coast. This species pertains to the same generic division as the com- 



