14 



as a full list of his memoirs at such date, but as a selection in 

 conformity with the conditions imposed by the proprietors of 

 that annual. 



It would be doing the editors of the Bibliotheca an injustice 

 were it not stated in conjunction with the foregoing suggestions 

 that they frankly avow their regret at failing to fill up their 

 scheme in all its details. In the matter of cotemporary biograph- 

 ical notices (a part of the project peculiarly theirs) I cannot 

 imagine that full success were attainable, even though they wished 

 to catalogue the literary work only of such persons as had earned 

 a substantial reputation; for not only would they come across 

 authors who would be too incommunicative for their purpose; 

 but, surely, no two gentlemen could be so fortunately circum- 

 stanced as to hear mention of the Cornish blood of all authors who 

 possess it. At all events I, who am not likely to be unusually 

 well-informed in this respect, could tell of Cornishmen (if ever 

 such a designation with regard to name and race can be rightly 

 applied), or the sons of such, who are widely esteemed, even 

 eminent in science or letters — not to allude to others who have at 

 least acquired notoriety — whose surnames, in a work alphabetically 

 arranged (as is the Bibliotheca) would have fallen within the volume 

 now in print, of whom they say nothing. But when we call to 

 mind that they are so far from affecting to comprise only worthies 

 in their work, that they manifest a contrary intention in a variety 

 of ways, as when — to take an extreme instance — they see occasion 

 to admit into it the name of more than one person of whom they 

 would never have heard had he not been charged at the assizes 

 with a capital offence ; and that such everyday productions as 

 casual sermons, speeches, letters and other communications to 

 newspapers are recorded — as if they would fain have registered, en 

 masse, the public utterances by, or in respect to, all individuals 

 who may be reached by their hospitable definition of the word 

 Cornishman — , it is plain that, unless they were prepared to carry 

 through the press some dozen volumes rather than two only, 

 the attempt must lead to their evincing a preference for one kind 

 of literature over another, and one writer over another, according 

 with their judgment, predilection, or sense of propriety. As a 

 sample of their discrimination : — they place their pages without 

 stint at the service of the homoeopathist, whilst they leave uncom- 

 memorated the enterprise of that facile jjvinceps of nostrumists 

 (well known to be a Cornishman) on whose multiform and polyglot 

 advertisements, it is affirmed, the sun never sets. 



In ceasing to speak of the Bibliotheca, I think it fitting to 

 subjoin that the claim I have advanced in behalf of the reader, as 

 to his right of being informed of the nature of the authority on 



