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latâ obivi." On his return to college in 1573, he took the degree of Bachelor of Arts. Two years after, by the interest of dean Goodman, or as some say, of sir Philip Sidney, he was made second master of Westminster school, which he held till the resignation of Dr. Grant, whom he succeeded as head-master in 1592-3. Prior to this, however, he obtained the prebend of Ilfracomb, bestowed upon him by Dr. John Piers, bishop of Salisbury. In 1597, at the instance of sir Fulk Greville, he was created by queen Elizabeth, Clarenceaux, king at arms; and the day before was made Richmond Herald; as the being a herald is rendered by the constitution an indispensible pre-requisite to the office of king at arms. He died in 1623, in the 74th year of his age.

1. The first and greatest work of Camden is his Britannia; of which the full title isBritannia, sive Florentissimorum, Regnorum Anglie, Scotia, Hiberniæ, et Insularum adjacen tium ex intimâ antiquitate, chorographica Descriptio. London, 1586, 8vo. i. e. "Britain, or a Chronological Description of the flourishing Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ire land, with the adjacent Islands, from the most remote antiquity." The work was much en

larged and improved in subsequent editions; a complete list of which I extract from Mr. Beloe's Anecdotes, recently published; and which may be depended upon (he says) as ac

curate.

"1. 1586, printed by R. Newbery, 12mo.

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"This is the first edition of Camden which

was published with maps.

"6. 1607, printed by G. Bishop, folio. "7. 1610,

folio.

"All the above-mentioned editions of Cam→ den were in Latin. The first edition in English was in 1610, and in folio.

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"This was translated by the indefatigable Philemon Holland, who was supposed to have been assisted by Camden himself. Therefore,' observes Mr. Gough, great regard has been paid to his additions and explanations." But what is very extraordinary, and indeed unaccountable, in an author of Mr. Gough's accuracy, he is, in the passage referred to, (Life Camden, p. 20.) called Philip Hol land.

"The eighth edition, in 1617, was a Latin abridgment by Lirizæus, in 12mo.

"9. 1637, folio, Philemon Holland's second edition. With this edition, says Mr. Gough, Holland has taken unwarrantable liberties. Mr. Wanley thinks that this edition was published after Holland's death.

"10. 1689, a second edition of Lirizæus's abridgment, in 12mo.

"11. 1695, folio. This was the first edition by bishop Gibson.

"12. 1722, 2 vol. folio.

"13. 1753, 2 vol. folio.

"14. 1772, 2 vol. folio.

“15. 1789, 2 vol.

"This was Mr. Gough's edition.

"The following memorandum from one of Hearne's Diaries, preserved in the Bodleian, forms no unimportant appendage to the above catalogue.

"There is in the Ashmolean Museum, amongst Mr. Ashmole's books, a very fair folio MS. handsomely bound, containing an English translation of Mr. Camden's Britan nia, by Richard Knolles, the same that writ the History of the Turks. This book was found locked up in a box, in Mr. Camden's

study, after his death. Mr. Camden set a great value upon it. I suppose it was presented by the author to Mr. Camden. Philemon Holland's translation came out in 1610, which was the year in which Knolles died." From this note of Hearne, Mr. Beloe very naturally suspects, that, Camden might have lent Knolles's translation to Holland, as he communicated with him on the subject; and consequently, that Holland's is not his own genuine translation-a fact, however, which (as he observes) may be ascertained by examining the MS. referred to in the Ashmolean collection.

Mr. Gough's translation appeared in 1789, (from the edition of 1607,) enlarged by the latest discoveries, and illustrated with a new set of maps, and other copper-plates. This work was the result of many years' travel, inquiry, and labour.

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Camden informs us, that he was employed ten years in compiling his Britannia; and that the plan of the publication was suggested to him by Ortelius, the geographer; though he had been before employed in making collections. Ortelius coming to England, applied to Camden for information respecting

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the state of the country; and learning what he had done, persuaded him to enlarge his materials, and prepare them for the public eye. To accomplish himself for this arduous undertaking, he had to learn the British and Saxon languages, to peruse the ancient English historians, and to survey various parts of England. All this he performed with indefatigable perseverance; and has thus erected a monument, alike to his own and his country's honour. He put the last hand to this great work, in 1607, and now obtained the flattering titles of the Varro, the Strabo, and the Pausanias of his age.

2. While master of Westminster school, he drew up a Greek Grammar, which is still considered as a good introduction to that language. This grammar, however, was not properly speaking his own; but merely an abridgment of a more copious one compiled by his predecessor, Mr. Edward Grant.

3. During his intervals of leisure from school-occupation, a common recreation with him was, to view the monuments in the Abbey, of which he published a catalogue in 1600; and some fragments still remain of a similar list which he had begun of the monu

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