Reform Club, Jan. 10. 1851.
* * * * *
Minor Notes.
_Verstegan.--A Restitution of Decayed Intelligence in Antiquities,
concerning the most noble and renowned English Nation. By the Study and
Travel of Richard Verstegan._--There is something so sonorous and stately
in the very sound of the title of Master Richard Verstegan's etymological
treatise, that any bibliographical notice of it, I am sure, will find a
corner in "NOTES AND QUERIES." The following MS. note is on a fly-leaf of
my copy, A.D. 1655:--
"The first edition was printed at Antwerp, in 1605. A full account of
this work is given in Oldys's _British Librarian_, pp. 299 312. It
concludes with suggestions for improving any future editions: namely,
to add those animadversions, in their proper places, which have been
since occasionally made on some mistakes in it; as those made by Mr.
Sheringham on his fancy of the _Vitae_ being the ancient inhabitants of
the Isle of Wight, &c. But more especially should be admitted the
corrections of the learned Mr. Somner, he having left large marginal
notes upon Verstegan's whole book, as we are informed by Bishop
Kennett, the late accurate author of his Life. This advice has never
been acted upon."
To this is subjoined a notice of Verstegan's _Poems_.
"There is a thin 12mo. volume of _Poems_ by Richard Verstegan, of which
only one perfect copy is known. Dr Farmer had it; then a Mr. Lloyd, who
disposed of it, when it sold for 22l. 1s. Mr. Faber now has it. Another
copy, completed by MS., had belonged to T. Park, which was sold at
Sotheby's, March 11. 1821, for 1l. 19s., and bought by Triphook."