The distinguished historical antiquary, Sir Henry Ellis, D.C.L., was
appointed in this year, by his friend the Librarian, to be one of the
Assistant-librarians; commencing thus, while still an undergraduate
Fellow of St. John's (which College he had entered in 1796) the studies
and pursuits which eventually led to the post, so long and honourably
held by him, of Principal Librarian and Head of the British Museum. In a
letter with which the author of this volume was recently favoured by him
('_jam senior, sed mente virens_,') Sir Henry mentions that the Rev.
Henry Hervey Baber, of All Souls' College (B.A. 1799, M.A. 1805), who
was afterwards one of his colleagues in the Museum, and who now (_ætat._
92) is Vicar of Stretham, in the Isle of Ely, was his senior in the
Bodleian, as Coadjutor-under-librarian, by a year or two. In consequence
of the insufficiency of the statutable staff, the place of the one
Under-librarian was at this time, and subsequently, shared by two
occupants. In 1800 Sir H. Ellis signed, in conjunction with Mr. Price,
the return printed in the first Record Commission Report relative to the
Historical MSS. possessed by the Library.