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Table of Contents
  • Audiet Pugnas vitio Parentum / Rara Juventus. Hor: Young men—the few who are left after the crimes of their fathers—will hear of battles. [School and College Latin Exercises]
  • Bonae leges ex malis moribus proveniunt: Good laws spring from bad habits [School and College Latin Exercises]
  • Malos tueri haud tutum: Save a thief from the gallows and he’ll cut your throat [School and College Latin Exercises]
  • Quis enim virtutem amplectitur ipsam Praemia si tollas?: For who embraces virtue herself, if you take away the reward? [School and College Latin Exercises]
  • Adjecere bonae paulo plus artis Athenae: Kind Athens Added a Little More Skill [School and College Latin Exercises]
  • Mea nec Falernae Temperant Vites, neque Formiani Pocula Colles: Neither Falernian vines nor Formian hills mellow my cups [School and College Latin Exercises]
  • Scheme for the Classes of a Grammar School
  • Advertisement for the School at Edial
  • Observations on Common Sense
  • Preface to the 1738 Volume of the Gentleman’s Magazine
  • Letter to the Gentleman's Magazine on Political Journalism
  • Appeal to the Publick
  • To the Reader. [Gentleman’s Magazine]
  • Considerations on the case of Dr T.—s Sermons abridg’d by Mr Cave
  • The Jests of Hierocles
  • Preface to the 1741 Volume of the Gentleman's Magazine
  • Review of An Account of the Conduct of the Dowager Duchess of Marlborough
  • Proposals for Printing, by Subscription, the Two First Volumes of Bibliotheca Harleiana
  • An Account of the Harleian Library
  • Notice in Volume Two of Catalogus Bibliothecae Harleianae
  • Proposals for Printing, by Subscription, the Harleian Miscellany with An Account of this Undertaking
  • Introduction to the Harleian Miscellany: An Essay on the Origin and Importance of Small Tracts and Fugitive Pieces
  • Preface to the 1742 Volume of the Gentleman’s Magazine
  • Dedication for Robert James's Medicinal Dictionary
  • Preface to the 1743 Volume of the Gentleman’s Magazine
  • PROPOSALS For Printing every Fortnight, (Price Sixpence) THE PUBLISHER: CONTAINING MISCELLANIES In PROSE and VERSE. Collected by J. CROKATT, Bookseller.
  • Proposals for Printing Anchitell Grey's Debates
  • Some Remarks on the Progress of Learning Since the Reformation
  • Proposals for Printing by Subscription Hugonis Grotii Adamus Exul
  • Postscript to Lauder’s Essay on Milton’s Use and Imitation of the Moderns
  • A Letter to the Reverend Mr. Douglas
  • Preface to The Preceptor
  • The signification of WORDS how varied
  • Letter Concerning the Benefit Performance of Comus for Milton's Granddaughter
  • Proposals for printing by subscription, Essays in Verse and Prose.
  • Notice of The life of Harriot Stuart
  • Dedication to The Female Quixote
  • Dedication to Memoirs of Maximilian de Bethune, Duke of Sully
  • Dedication to Philander
  • Dedication to The Greek Theatre of Father Brumoy
  • Dedication to Henrietta, 2nd Ed.
  • Proposals for Printing by Subscription The Original Works of Mrs. Charlotte Lennox
  • Letter to the Daily Advertiser concerning James Crokatt
  • Preface to A General Index of the First Twenty Volumes of the Gentleman's Magazine
  • Preface to the 1753 Volume of the Gentleman’s Magazine
  • An Account of an Attempt to Ascertain the Longitude by Sea, by an Exact Theory of the Variation of the Magnetical Needle
  • Dedication and Preface to An Introduction to the Game of Draughts (1756)
  • Dedication to An Introduction to Geometry (1767)
  • Preface to Richard Rolt, A New Dictionary of Trade and Commerce
  • Reflections on the Present State of Literature
  • TO THE PUBLIC
  • Review of John Armstrong, The History of the Island of Minorca (1756)
  • Review of Stephen White, Collateral Bee-Boxes (1756)
  • Review of Thomas Birch, The History of the Royal Society, vols. 1–2 (1756)
  • Review of Arthur Murphy, The Gray’s-Inn Journal, 2 vols. (1756)
  • Review of Joseph Warton, An Essay on the Writings and Genius of Pope (1756)
  • Review of James Hampton, The General History of Polybius (1756)
  • Review of Thomas Blackwell, Memoirs of the Court of Augustus (1753–56)
  • Review of Alexander Russell, The Natural History of Aleppo (1756)
  • Review of Four Letters from Newton to Bentley (1756)
  • Review of William Borlase, Observations on the Islands of Scilly (1756)
  • Review of Archibald Bower, Affidavit (1756); John Douglas, Six Letters and Review of Mr. Bower’s Answer (1757); and John Douglas, Bower and Tillemont Compared (1757)
  • Review of Francis Home, Experiments on Bleaching (1756)
  • Review of Stephen Hales, An Account of a Useful Discovery (1756)
  • Review of Charles Lucas, An Essay on Waters (1756)
  • Review of Robert Keith, A Large New Catalogue of the Bishops (1756)
  • Review of Patrick Browne, The Civil and Natural History of Jamaica (1756)
  • Review of Charles Parkin, An Impartial Account of the Invasion under William Duke of Normandy (1756)
  • Review of A Scheme for Preventing a Further Increase of the National Debt (1756)
  • Review of Conferences and Treaties (1756)
  • Review of Philosophical Transactions (1756)
  • Review of Richard Lovett, The Subtil Medium Prov’d (1756)
  • Review of Benjamin Hoadley and Benjamin Wilson, Observations on a Series of Electrical Experiments (1756)
  • Review of Johann Georg Keyssler, Travels (1756)
  • Review of Elizabeth Harrison, Miscellanies (1756)
  • Review of Jonas Hanway, A Journal of Eight Days Journey (1757)
  • Review of Jonas Hanway, A Journal of Eight Days Journey, Second Edition (1757)
  • Reply to a Letter from Jonas Hanway in the Gazetteer (1757)
  • Review of Samuel Bever, The Cadet (1756)
  • Review of the Test and Con-Test (1756)
  • Review of William Whitehead, Elegies (1757)
  • Review of A Letter to a Gentleman in the Country on the Death of Admiral Byng (1757)
  • Preliminary Discourse in the London Chronicle
  • Advertisement for Francis Barber in the Daily Advertiser
  • "Dedication to John Lindsay, Evangelical History of Our Lord Jesus Christ Harmonized
  • Introduction to the Universal Chronicle (1758)
  • Of the Duty of a Journalist (1758)
  • Advertisement Against Unauthorized Reprints of the Idler (1759)
  • Advertisement for the Public Ledger in the Universal Chronicle (1760)
  • To The Public in the Public Ledger (1760)
  • The Weekly Correspondent Number I [Public Ledger]
  • The Weekly Correspondent Number II [Public Ledger]
  • The Weekly Correspondent Number III [Public Ledger]
  • Preface to J. Elmer, Tables of Weights and Prices
  • From The Italian Library Containing an Account of the Lives and Works of the most valuable authors of Italy (1757)
  • Proposals for Printing by Subscription, Le Poesie di Giuseppe Baretti (1758)
  • Dedication to A Dictionary of the English and Italian Languages (1760)
  • Preface to Easy Phraseology, for the Use of Young Ladies Who Intend to Learn the Colloquial Part of the Italian Language (1775)
  • Advertisement [For The World Displayed]
  • Introduction (1759) [From The World Displayed]
  • Advertisement for Pilgrim's Progress
  • Letter I. [Daily Gazetteer]
  • Letter II. [Daily Gazetteer]
  • Letter III. [Daily Gazetteer]
  • Letter to the Society of Arts (26 February 1760)
  • Letter to the Society of Arts (8 December 1760)
  • Address of the Painter’s, Sculptors, &Architects to George III (1761)
  • Preface to A Catalogue of the Pictures, Sculptures, Models, Drawings, Prints, &c Exhibited by the Society of Artists of Great-Britain at the Great Room in Spring Gardens Charing Cross May the 17th Anno 1762 Being the Third year of their Exhibition (1762)
  • Review of William Tytler, Historical and Critical Enquiry into the Evidence Produced … Against Mary Queen of Scots
  • Contributions to John Kennedy, A Complete System of Astronomical Chronology, Unfolding the Scriptures
  • Proposals and Advertisement [for Anna Williams, Miscellanies in Prose and Verse] (1762)
  • Advertisement [for Anna Williams, Miscellanies in Prose and Verse] (1766)
  • Dedication to Jerusalem Delivered (1763)
  • Dedication to The Works of Metastasio (1767)
  • Dedication to Cyrus: A Tragedy (1768)
  • Review of Oliver Goldsmith, The Traveller
  • Dedication for Thomas Percy, Reliques of Ancient English Poetry
  • 23 Sept. 1765 [Political Writing for Henry Thrale]
  • 1–4 Oct. 1765. [Political Writing for Henry Thrale]
  • 20 Nov. 1765. [Political Writing for Henry Thrale]
  • 19 Dec. 1765. [Political Writing for Henry Thrale]
  • 24 December 1765 [Political Writing for Henry Thrale]
  • 3 March 1768 [Political Writing for Henry Thrale]
  • 8 March 1768 [Political Writing for Henry Thrale]
  • 14 March 1768 [Political Writing for Henry Thrale]
  • 23 March 1768 [Political Writing for Henry Thrale]
  • 23 March 1768 [Political Writing for Henry Thrale]
  • 13 March 1769 [Political Writing for Henry Thrale]
  • 1 October 1774 [Political Writing for Henry Thrale]
  • 4 October 1774 [Political Writing for Henry Thrale]
  • 13 October 1774 [Political Writing for Henry Thrale]
  • 4 September 1780 [Political Writing for Henry Thrale]
  • 4 September 1780 [Political Writing for Henry Thrale]
  • 5 Sept. 1780 [Political Writing for Henry Thrale]
  • Dedication for George Adams, A Treatise Describing and Explaining the Construction and Use of New Celestial and Terrestrial Globes
  • Dedication to John Gwynn, London and Westminster Improved
  • Preface to Alexander MacBean, A Dictionary of Ancient Geography
  • Meditation on a Pudding
  • Hereford Infirmary Appeal
  • Dedication for A General History of Music (1776)
  • From A General History of Music, Vol. II (1782)
  • Dedication to An Account of the Musical Performance . . . in Commemoration of Handel (1785)
  • Advertisement for the Spectator
  • Dedication to Zachary Pearce, A Commentary, with Notes, on the Four Evangelists and the Acts of the Apostles
  • Letter of 16 May 1777
  • The Petition of the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons of the City of London, in Common Council Assembled, Friday 6 June 1777
  • Letter to Lord Bathurst, the Lord Chancellor, 8 June 1777
  • Letter to William Murray, First Earl of Mansfield, Lord Chief Justice, Wednesday, 11 June 1777
  • Petition of Mrs. Mary Dodd to the Queen
  • Dodd’s Letter to the King, Sunday, 22 June 1777
  • Petition of William Dodd to the King, Monday, 23 June 1777
  • Dodd’s Last Solemn Declaration, Wednesday, 25 June 1777
  • Johnson’s Observations on the Propriety of Pardoning William Dodd, Wednesday, 25 June 1777
  • Introduction and Conclusion to Occasional Papers (1777)
  • Proposal for Printing William Shaw, An Analysis of the Scotch Celtic Language
  • Dedication to Sir Joshua Reynolds, Seven Discourses
  • Preface to Thomas Maurice, Oedipus Tyrannus
  • The Case of Collier v. Flint
  • Translation of Sallust, De Bello Catilinario
  • General Rules of the Essex Head Club
  • On the Character and Duty of an Academick
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© 2023
Proposals for Printing Anchitell Grey's Debates
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By Johnson, Samuel

Samuel Johnson: Johnson on Demand

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PROPOSALS FOR PRINTING ANCHITELL GREY’S DEBATES (1745)
[Editorial Introduction]
Anchitell Grey (c. 1624–1702), second son of Henry Grey, first Earl of Stamford, and younger brother of the regicide Thomas Grey, Lord Grey of Groby, compiled fourteen manuscript volumes of notes on debates in the House of Commons. The notes, most taken firsthand with some material supplied by other members, were for his own use. Cave’s proposal to publish these notes appears to have been an attempt to capitalize on the success of reports of the current parliamentary debates in the Gentleman’s Magazine. Johnson and Cave had been planning to produce a history of Parliament: we have Johnson’s positive reaction to the plan in a letter to Cave in autumn 1743 (Letters, I.34–35), but nothing further. A scheme to publish Grey’s debates by subscription was another of Cave’s aborted projects.
The proposals, first attributed to Johnson by Alexander Chalmers,1 were published in the Gentleman’s Magazine for March 1745 (XV.135–42). A sentence in the paragraph introducing the proposals suggests that, at least at this time, the proposals were not published elsewhere, either independently or as front or back matter in a book: “we should have printed these proposals independent of the magazine, had it not been the practice of some booksellers (who may think their interest now affected) to tear out whatever they judged prejudicial to their own projects, when it might be done without making the book imperfect.” Subscriptions came in slowly, and it was necessary to publish apologies for delays in the May and July numbers (XV.226, 338). Then, on the last page of the August number, appeared an advertisement announcing that the proposals were “Just Published”: “Proposals at large may be had and subscriptions are taken in by E. Cave at St. John’s Gate, who, if required by a line, will send the proposals or receipts to gentlemen in town or country” (XV.448). The advertisement, which fills two-thirds of a column, splices parts of the first and second, the fourth, and part of the sixth sentence from the proposals printed below, adding a concluding sentence. If the proposals were actually issued, no copy is known to survive. The prospective edition then disappeared from view for a long time.


Page 120

Seventeen years later, however, the project was revived by David Henry and Richard Cave. In the John Johnson Collection in the Bodleian Library, Oxford, is a unique copy of an announcement with the penciled date “1762” (Prospectus 155). This announcement abridges and revises the earlier proposals to adapt them to a new context. The revisions were made by an unknown editor, possibly Johnson.
When the Debates were published in 1763, the introductory remarks “To the Reader” essentially reproduced the text of the 1762 announcement with small verbal changes, but the editor abandoned the 1762 text at one point to return to the text of the 1745 proposals, doing some rewriting at the same time.
The Debates appear as the first item in the “List of Books just publish’d” in the January 1763 number of the Gentleman’s Magazine. The ten volumes sold slowly and were reissued with cancel titles in 1769 under the imprint of T. Becket and P. A. DeHondt. For a discussion of the proposals, see “Prospectuses,” pp. 224, 233. The copy-text is taken from the Gentleman’s Magazine, March 1745. It has been collated with the unique copy of the proposals (1762) in the Bodleian Library and with the version printed in volume 1 of the Debates (1763) as an address “To the Reader” (pp. v–viii). Differences from the copy-text are recorded in the textual notes, but only corrections of obvious errors have been accepted into the text.
[Proposals]
The vast number of curious questions, and important affairs, enumerated in the following Proposals, cannot but afford some entertainment, even to those whom it may not suit to subscribe to the publication of the volumes that contain them, for which, as they have been pronounced, by gentlemen of unquestioned judgment, a most valuable treasure of parliamentary deliberations, and the undertaking of public use, we are encouraged to expect a ready subscription. We hope, therefore, no apology will be necessary for inserting the ensuing account, tho’ long, effectually to apprise the world of the design, since every reader, attentive to the English history, will receive some information by a perusala only of the subjects which so many years employed the house of commons; and as the conjunctures required their utmost prudence, sollicitude and resolution, the detail, especially as it has such variety, may not be unacceptable.—— However,


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we should have printed these proposals independent of the magazine, had it not been the practice of some booksellers (who may think their interest now affected) to tear out whatever they judged prejudicial to their own projects, when it might be done without making the book imperfect.—— Promising ourselves, therefore, the indulgence of our readers in thus once seeming to consult our own interest, we beg leave further to observe, that as such booksellers also have frequently inserted in our magazine proposals concerning their own schemes (and one bookseller very scurrilous advertisements against us) it is become necessary, to obviate mistakes which have arisen, to declare that we have no concern in, or ought to be accountable for any independent leaf or leaves not paged for the volume, except our name appears to be affixed, by us, to such papers.1
Proposals for Publishing
The Debates of the House of Commons,
From the Year 1667 To the Year 1694.
Collected By
The Honable Anchitell Grey, Esq; who was thirty years representative of the town of Derby, chairman of several committees, and decypher’d Coleman’s letters for the use of the house.2
I. That these debates, which are comprised in fourteen manuscript volumes in quarto, be published about the end of next sessions, in ten volumes in octavo, of which each volume will contain thirty sheets on good paper and print. II. The price to subscribers, whose names will be printed, to be fifty shillings, of which one guinea to be paid at the time of subscribing, and the rest on delivery of set in sheets, or at five shillings for each volume, if more or less than ten.


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If it should be desired by a sufficient number of subscribers, part of the impression shall be printed in two volumes in folio, of the same form and size with the Journals of Parliament, which are now in the press, and with which these debates have a close connection.3
Subscriptions are taken by E. Cave at St John’s Gate, and his friends who have receipts.
Theb importance of these debates may be easily conjectured by the dates from 1667 to 1694; a period of time remarkable for the multitude of schemes which were formed, the variety of events produced, the diversity of interests which prevailed;c the struggles between prerogative and privilege, the out-cries of abhorrence and prosecution, efforts against popery and arbitrary power, the number of plots and conspiracies, either real or imaginary; impeachments of ministers, attempts to set aside the heir of the crown, the expulsion of a king, and the re-establishment of the constitution.
An authentic representation, therefore, of the part, whichd the house of commons bore in those momentous affairs, must naturally fix the attention, and raise the expectation. Every man of fortune in the kingdom must surely desire to view the gradations of these memorable events,e to trace revolutions to their causes, and to know to what names the nation is indebted for its honour,f and its liberty: informations that cannot be easily obtained, but from the collection which is now offered to the publick.4 For tho’ Debates of the Commons


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have been advertised with great ostentation, the volumes that have reference to those distant days contain not any regular series of their deliberations, being little more than speeches and messages from the throne, addresses and resolutions of the house, the conferences which had been before printed, and extracts from the journals or votes. What they have further is in a desultory manner, and collected from historical narratives, and authors who could pretend only to probable harangues, as appears by their doubts to what members they should be attributed, and by their prefixing5 wrong names. But in this relation, in which the names of the speakers are at length, the reader is led forward from day to day, and from question to question, and enjoys the view of all the variations of that uncertain time; observes the birth, the progress, the maturity of designs, sees the colours6 of party change before him, and patriotism7 sink in one year, and rise in another.
Besides the preference to be given to this work for its regularity, manifest upon a cursory view of the manuscript, its excellence and authority will appear from the character of the collector; who was a person of eminent rank and distinction,g of remarkable sobriety and diligence, of strict honour and *piety, greatly respected in the senate, and *beloved and adored8 as a


Page 124

magistrate. He was present at all the transactions which he relates, excepth a very few, communicated to him by membersi whom he generally names; andj as he wrote them without any view of publication, cannot be supposed to have added or suppressed any thing by design.
Another excellence is thek artless and concise manner of expression, without circumlocution, or the embellishmentl which even an extempore discourse might admit; preserving only the naked arguments, but so as not to conceal the ability and spirit of the speaker.9
Together with these advantages, the bulk of this collection is another recommendation. For, though brevity is so much consulted, the following lists of speakers and subjects will shew that it contains above fiftym times more of the secret deliberations of the house, than all the accounts of debates for the same time yet published. For,n were any part of them genuine, yet, in several sessions, they giveo no debate at all; whereas the conviction which the reader here findsp that he is not misled, but enters on every day’s real business, induces him to consider himself present in this active and honourable assembly, partaking the ardour and anxiety of the unbyassedq Englishman, and resenting the subtleties and evasions of his opponent.r


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Thus no objection can be made to this works in point of authority, which in former collections may be much doubted,t becauseu they appear to have been drawn up for publication, and might, therefore, bev intended for the service of a party;w and because the writers were either unknown, or for the most part obliged to receive their informationx from others. But as the honourable collector of these volumes set himself the task of taking the notes, only for his own use or amusement, he was under no temptation either to suppress or misrepresent any argument or occurrence. He appears, indeed, to have been solicitous that nothing either of greater or less importance mighty escape him, and accordingly has preserved the minutest circumstances at the bar, though they relate chiefly to private persons; and of the precedents, rulesz and customs of parliament, perhaps,a there is no where to be found so accurate an account.
For all these reasonsb it is imagined that no compilation can be met with of greater, or of equal, use,c for giving light to the journals of the commons, which are now printing by their order, for clearing upd the history of the reign of Charles II. and for shewing the progress of the settlement of the nation at the revolution.
At a time,e therefore, when the history of our own country appears to be so far the prevailing object of literary curiosity, that not only three or four several editions, now publishing on this subject in folio, find reception, but annuities are


Page 126

settled to promote another yet in embryo,1 it is hoped that this proposal, which has a particular tendency to its amplification and advancement, will not fail of encouragement.
Notwithstandingf the writer’s diligence,g and undoubted integrity, it will beh necessary to make a fewi insertionsj for the sake of the connexion.k But that the reader may not suspect a design of leading him aside from truth, when it is only intended to smooth his way,l every addition shall bem distinguished from the words of the original by a difference in the print,n,2 and the manuscript be deposited in some public office, as a proof of the fidelity and care employed in this edition.
The obscurities also, arising from allusions to the history of former times, will be removed by proper explanations of the debates, and notes upon particular passages, extracted from histories, state-tracts, and authentic records. And that nothing may be wanting to the completion of the work, an account will be given of all the speakers concerning whom information can be obtain’d, to which, if their descendents, or any other person, will be pleased to contribute, the favour will be thankfully acknowledged.3


Page 127

Members mentioned in the debates already printed, with the number of their speeches there, prefix’d before the name; and after it the number of times they spoke in the manuscript debates, which are proposed to be printed.
5 Birch, Col.531
7 Booth, Henry29
5 Boscawen, H.161
9 Capel, Sir Hen.151
3 Carew, Sr Nic.195
2 Cavendish, Ld137
1 Clargis, Sr Tho.511
2 Clayton, Sr Rob.29
2 Coventry, H.432
1 Courtnay, Sr W.4
1 Cowper, Sr W.3
1 Dering, Sir E.75
1 Downing, Sr G.84
5 Ernley, Sr J.129
3 Finch, Dan.92
1 Fleetwood, Mr.2
3 Foley, Paul95
2 Garraway, Mr524
2 Gerrard, Sir Gil.45
7 Gower, L.8
9 Hampden, Mr220
6 Harbord, Mr126
1 Harvey, Sir E.59
1 Hickman, Sr W.45
9 Hungerford, Sr G.20


Page 128

4 Hyde, Laur.
88
16 Jenkins, Sr Lion.31
16 Jones, Sr Wm48
1 Littleton, Sr T.481
3 Lee, Sir Tho.745
2 Leg, Col.2
2 Love, Wm40
1 Markham, Sr R.7
1 Maynard152
4 Meres367
6 Mildmay, Col.59
5 Montagu, Ralph [blank]
1 Musgrave, Sr C.63
1 Parkhurst, Jno3
1 Player, Sr Tho.18
3 Powle360
3 Pulteney, Sr Wm27
2 Roll, Sr Fra.13
4 Russel, Ld27
3 Sacheverel484
1 Sedley, Sr Cha.236
1 Seymour, Edw.15
1 Swinfen138
4 Temple, Sr Wm14
13 Titus, Silas225
3 Trenchard28
7 Vaughan207
2 Vernon, Geo.11
1 Walden, Lionel1
1 Waller, Mr.189
1 Whorwood3
1 Williams, Mr.19
2 Williamson, Sec.118
17 Winnington96
N.B. Besides those, the MS debates represent 440 more gentlemen to have spoken.4


Page 129

Editorial Notes
1 Donald Greene, Notes and Queries, CCXII (1967), 180–81.
a perusal emend] perrusal GM
1 For a report on the competing booksellers’ defacements, see GM for February 1738 (VIII.78); cf. preface to the GM for 1738 (p. 30, n. 3 above).
2 Edward Colman (1636–78), a Catholic implicated in the “popish plot” by Titus Oates, was convicted and hanged on the basis of his cache of letters written in code to French officials.
3 The Journals of the House of Commons, 1547–1741 was ordered to be printed in 1742, but publication proceeded slowly. The volumes are large folios.
b 62 and 63 begin here.
c prevailed, 62
d therefore^ of the part^ which 62
e . . . must naturally fix the attention, and raise the expectation of every man of fortune in the kingdom, who desires to view the gradations of these memorable events. . . 62, 63] expectation, 63
f Honour^ 63
4 The remainder of this paragraph is absent from 62. In 63 the paragraph is contracted as follows: “informations that cannot be easily obtained but from the following collection; in which the names of the speakers are at length, and the reader is led forward from day to day.”
5 [Note in GM] As B. for Bennet Gee for Garway Mompesson for Meres Basset for Birch Hartop for Hotham Proby for Player Boscawen for Booth Howe for Howard Stratford for Swinfen Foley for Finch Lee for Littleton Smith for Swinfen &c.
6 Colours: specious arguments (OED, sense 8).
7 Patriotism: “Love of one’s country; zeal for one’s country” (Dictionary), but zeal often suggests excessive interest for SJ, and the second definition of patriot, added in 1773, makes explicit the negative sense in which patriotism could be employed: “It is sometimes used for a factious disturber of the government.” The political opposition often adopted the word as a rubric for their beliefs; those in power therefore often cast the word in a negative light.
g regularity, its excellence and authority will appear from the character of the collector, who was a person of eminent rank and distinction, 62, 63
8 [Note in GM] * Expressions in a letter lately received from Derbyshire.
h relates^ except 63
i members, 62, 63
j and, 62
k Another excellence is, the 62, 63
l embellishments 63
9 Grey’s entries read more like minutes than representations of the speeches.
m For^ though brevity is so much consulted, yet it contains above fifty 62] For, though brevity is much consulted, it contains fifty 63
n published; for, 62, 63
o have 62, 63
p finds, 62
q unbiassed 63
r oppotent 62
s work, 62 and 63
t may be doubted, 62, 63
u because 62, 63] beause GM
v might^ therefore^ be 62
w party, 62, 63
x informations 62
y nothing, either of greater or less importance, might 62
z rules, 62, 63
a perhaps 62
b reasons, 62
c or equal use, 62] or of equal use, 63
d commons, for clearing up 62, 63
e paragraph absent 62, 63
1 Thomas Carte’s A General History of England, 4 vols. folio (1747–55), which was supported by several societies, was then “in embryo.” The earlier works may be William Guthrie, A General History of England, 4 vols. folio (1744–51); Paul Rapin de Thoryas, The History of England, translated and augmented by N. Tindal, 4 vols. folio (1743–47); and, although it is not restricted to Britain, Thomas Salmon, Modern History: or, the Present State of All Nations, 3rd ed., 3 vols. folio (1744–46).
f But notwithstanding 63
g diligence, 62, 63
h hath been 62, 63
i some 62, 63
j insertions, (chiefly from the journals) 63
k connection: 62] connection; 63
l (that . . . way) 62
m is 62, 63
n original by being inserted within crotchets. 62, 63
2 Insertions are sometimes in square brackets, sometimes in a smaller type font. The manuscript is apparently lost.
3 62 and 63 give a more accurate description of the annotation provided in the edition. Instead of the final two paragraphs, 62 has, “Several notes are also added by the editor, illustrating, from the histories of the times, the characters of the principal speakers, and explaining, where necessary, the subject of the debate.” 63 reads, “Several notes also are added by the editor, illustrating from the histories of the times, the characters of the principal speakers, and explaining (where necessary) the subject of the debates. And, that reference may easily be had to any particular incident, a large table of contents is annexed to the end of the work, containing, in a regular series, the subject of every debate.” The notes are sparse after volume 1.
4 On pp. 137–42 of GM appears a lengthy “Abstract of the table of contents of the manuscript volumes mentioned in the preceding page.” A version of this abstract is printed at the end of volume 10 of the Debates.
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Document Details
Document TitleProposals for Printing Anchitell Grey's Debates
AuthorJohnson, Samuel
Creation Date1745
Publ. DateN/A
Alt. TitleN/A
Contrib. AuthorN/A
ClassificationSubject: Parliament; Subject: Politics; Subject: Faction; Genre: Proposal; Genre: Preface
PrinterN/A
PublisherCave
Publ. PlaceLondon
VolumeSamuel Johnson: Johnson on Demand
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PROPOSALS FOR PRINTING...
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[Editorial Introduction]
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