Oxford.
_Butler's "Lives of the Saints"_ (Vol. viii., p.387.).--The inquiry
respecting the various editions of this valuable work not having yet
received any answer, the following information may in some degree satisfy
the inquirer. The first edition of the Rev. Alban Butler's _Lives of the
Saints_ was published in the author's lifetime, at various intervals from
1754 to 1759, when the last of the four volumes appeared, of which the
edition was composed. Part II. of vol. iii. is now before me, with the date
1758. No other edition appeared till after the death of the learned and
pious author, which took place in 1773.
The second edition was undertaken by the most Rev. Dr. Carpenter, Roman
Catholic Archbishop of Dublin, and appeared in 12 vols. in 1779. It is
stated in the title-page to be "corrected and enlarged from the author's
own MS." It did contain all the notes omitted in the previous edition, and
other matter prepared by the author. The third edition was published in
Scotland, and other editions followed; but I am unable to give any
particulars of them. But the splendid stereotype edition, published in
London by Murphy, in 1812, in 12 vols., is by far the best ever produced,
or ever likely to appear. Since this there have been other editions; one in
2 vols., published in Ireland, and a cheap edition in 12 small vols.,
printed at Derby; but they deserve little notice.