ADVERTISEMENT 

 TO THE FIRST EDITION 



THE Author of the following Letters takes the liberty, with all 

 proper deference, of laying before the public his idea of paro- 

 chial 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 atten- 

 tion 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 tirst opportunity, though a late 

 one, of returning his most grateful acknowledgments to the 

 reverend the President 1 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, 2 so far as the 

 evidences therein contained might respect the parish and 

 priory of Selborne. To that gentleman also, and his assis- 

 tant, 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 and records that were removed to the College from the 

 Priory at the time of its dissolution ; and, being carefully 



^Dr. Home, known by his work on the Psalms.] 

 2 [Dr. Richard Chandler.] 



