ADVERTISEMENT TO ORIGINAL EDITION. 



THE 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 is also 

 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 labours 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 



