XIV

PREFACE.

Alexander Macdonald, Esquire, of the Register House, Edin-burgh ; Thomas Duffus Hardy, Esquire, of the Record Officein the Tower; The Reverend Joseph Hunter, Thomas Wille-ment, Esquire, and Thomas Palmer, Esquire, of the RollsChapel, for various communications. Indeed, with the solitaryexception of the Dean of Windsor, he never sought for infor-mation in any quarter, without its having been cheerfully andcourteously afforded.

These acknowledgments ought, however, in common justice,to be accompanied by the Author’s cordial approbation of themanner in which his wishes have been attended to, by Mr. JohnHunter, the proprietor of the Work. The large outlay for itspublication was made by him; and during its progress, it wasonly necessary to suggest anything likely to render it morecomplete, to be assured of his immediate assent, however greatthe expence or trouble. On many points, and particularly onthose relating to his own Art, the information afforded byMr. Hunter was extremely useful; and it is not too much tosay, that in those matters it could be obtained from no otherperson.

Pecuniary advantage, it is but fair to add, was not theobject either of the Proprietor or Author; for the capitalexpended would scarcely be repaid to the former, even if everycopy were sold, while the labour of the latter has been whollygratuitous.

Under all the circumstances, it seems reasonable to hope,that a Work, of which the design is National, which appearsunder the gracious protection of the Sovereign, which records