i mi ) 
IL ^art of a Letter y mitten to a Moft Reverend 
Trelate^ in anjwer to one written hy his Grace , judg^ 
ing of the Age of MS S. the Style of Learned Authors ^ 
. f aimers^ Mufcians^ &c. ^By Mr Humfrey Wanley. 
London^ July ii, 1701.' 
THe fubftance of what your Grace is pleas'd to faf 
about Manufcrips and Coped Writings ( as I appre- 
hend it) is, That 'tis not only pofftblcy hnt very idfie^ upon 
the perufkl of a mitten Booky to pronounce in vphat Age or 
Century it VP as written^ f^^pfi^g a Man to he tolerably well 
vers'd in Books of that Language or Country. And that thk 
judgment may be made^ only hy ohferving the Shape and Fi- 
gure of the Letters of the Bo&k-, vphich ( as all other things ) 
have their fix' d Periods for their Duration : as being for ntd^ 
ihn way in fuch a Century^ and fuch a. way in the next '>^ Time 
only ( which alters the outward flate of other things) mrking 
thk Change in Letters alfo^ of what Age^ Language^ or Conn-- 
try foever they he. And then as to Original Corapofitions, 
your Grace is of Opinion, That the Style and DiSion of any 
noted Author being well ohfervd^ 'tis very eafie to dif confer 
fuch others of his Works as have gone abroad without hps 
Narne 5 and al fit he very time when the Author Livd, 
Tis evident, my Lord, that a man may judge of fame 
MSS by the Hand 5 and of the Genuine and Spurious 
Works oifome Authors 3 and of the time likevvife, where- 
in they liv'd, by the Jiyle of then 5 but whether this be 
fo ea/e a Work, and that the Rules men generally go by 
in thefe cafes, are always infallible Guides^ is what (I own) 
I very miuch deubt of. 
Ffffffffffff Sup. 
