254] A TOPOGRAPHICAL 



successful study of those branches of History. About this period 

 Mr. Shaw, in conjunction with a learned friend, published a peri- 

 odical work, entitled "The Topographer/' which was continued 

 for more than two years, during which many useful facts, illustra- 

 tive of English topography, were communicated in its pages to the 

 public. While engaged in those researches, Mr. Shaw spent part 

 of the summer of 1790 in Sussex, where he visited several parishes, 

 and collected many documents, of which only a small part was 

 published when the Topographer was discontinued. 



In 1791, Mr. Shaw retired to his father's house in Hartshorn, 

 where he amused himself with topographical researches. He soon 

 afterwards conceived the idea of writing the History of Stafford- 

 shire. The project seemed bold and difficult of execution even to his 

 most partial friends ; but his enthusiasm for his favourite branch of 

 literature stimulated his perseverance in the laborious task. He had 

 already written on the subject of topography with success, and he 

 was ambitious to transmit the History of his native county to pos- 

 terity. Animated by this motive he set about his work with 

 ardour, and his progress was much facilitated by the increase of 

 the number of his friends during his excursions through different 

 parts of Staffordshire in quest of materials. Many enlightened and 

 liberal individuals supplied him with valuable documents of the 

 places he visited, while his mild and inoffensive manners engaged 

 their esteem and confidence. Thus he acquired a vast fund of 

 valuable materials illustrative of the Natural History, Agriculture, 

 Manufactures, and local Scenery of Staffordshire, while his own 

 taste for drawing, and the aid of his companion, Mr. James, whom 

 he employed as draughtsman, soon enriched his portfolio with 

 numerous sketches, which were afterwards engraved for the work. 



While engaged in this pleasing and praise-worthy pursuit, Mr. 

 Shaw discovered and obtained the manuscript collection of the 

 Antiquities of Staffordshire which had long been supposed to be lost, 

 and from the moment these valuable papers came into his posses- 

 sion, he received countenance and assistance from the principal 

 nobility, gentry, and literati of the county. He had made a great 

 variety of drawings of antiquities, churches, and mansions, and 

 many of the latter were engraved attheexpence of the proprietors. 



Mr. Shaw devoted four years to the augmentation and arrange- 

 ment of his collections, and in 1796 he began to print the first 

 volume of his work, which was published in August 1798. This 

 volume .iio.t only answered but even exceeded public expectation, 



