In this year appeared the third _Catalogus impressorum Librorum
Bibliothecæ Bodleianæ_, in one folio volume, divided into two parts of
478 and 272 pages respectively. It is dedicated to Archbishop Sheldon,
by Hyde the Librarian, not without reason, as being printed in that
Theatre which the Archbishop had so lately built. The Keeper, in this
dedication, speaks very feelingly of the daily weariness of mind and
body which the compilation of the Catalogue had cost him, and tells how
his very hours for refreshment had been spent among books alone, and how
(_mirabile dictu!_) he actually had not shrunk even from the
inclemency of winter[131]. In his preface he says that, on his entrance
into office, he reckoned that the work of a new catalogue would occupy
him for two, or at most three, years; six, however, had been spent in
compilation and transcription, one in revision and enlargement, and,
lastly, two in the actual printing. Yet, says he, he never withdrew his
neck from the yoke, and postponed all considerations of bodily health.
People little know, he proceeds, what it is to accomplish a work of this
kind. What is easier, say they, than to look at the beginning of a book
and to copy out its title? They judge only from one or two weeks' work
in some little library of their own. But, what with careful examining of
volumes of pamphlets (which of itself was labour perfectly exhausting),
what with distinguishing synonymous authors and works, and identifying
metonymous ones, unravelling anagrammatical names and those derived from
places, and the like, the poor man declares he endured the greatest
torment of mind ('maximo animi cruciatu') as well as waste of precious
time. It is clear, from these pathetic lamentations, that Hyde had no
great love for Bibliography for its own sake. But, after all his
complaints, it is actually asserted by Hearne that he 'did not do much
in the work besides writing the dedication and preface[132]!' Hearne
attributes the real compilation of the Catalogue to Emmanuel Prichard,
or Pritchard, of Hart Hall, the janitor, who examined every book in the
whole library, and wrote out the Catalogue, in two volumes, with his own
hand. Hearne repeats this assertion frequently; it is found, _e.g._, in
his preface to the _Chronicon Dunstap._ p. xii., and in his
_Autobiography_ (1772, p. 11), where he adds that he was well informed
of this by Dr. Mill and others. If this be true, the inditing such a
preface, while totally suppressing Prichard's name, does little credit
to Hyde.
Frequent mention of this Emmanuel Prichard is found between 1686 and
1699 as being employed upon the MSS., and as engaged in taking an
account of duplicates and arranging Bishop Barlow's books. In 1687, £20
were paid him for 'writing a Catalogue of MSS.' Probably this was the
list upon which Hearne asserts that the index to the Bodleian MSS., in
Bernard's Catalogue, was founded[133]. Hearne describes him[134] as
being 'a very industrious, usefull man.' Although a member of Hart Hall,
he never took any degree; but wore a civilian's gown. He died in the
Hall about 1704, aged upwards of 70, and was buried in St.
Peter's-in-the-East. He left £200 to the Vice-Principal of Hart Hall,
which was partly spent in building a library-room[135].
[131] Of the 'hyemis inclementia' before the present system of warming
the Library was introduced, several of the present staff of officers can
speak as feelingly as Hyde. The writer remembers, in particular, one
winter when, in consequence of the roof being under repair, the
thermometer fell some eleven degrees below freezing point!
[132] _MS. Diary_, 1714, vol. ii. p. 193.
[133] _Reliquiæ Hearn._ ii. 591. But see p. 116, _infra_.
[134] _MS. Diary_, li. 193.
[135] Hearne's _MS. Diary_, ciii. 38.