TO THE BEAUTIES OF ENGLAND AND WALES, INTENDED TO SUPPLY SOME OMISSIONS, AND TO AFFORD ADDITIONAL CORRECTIONS TO SEVERAL COUNTIES. IT was the ardent wish of the Proprietors to present, in this promised Appendix, supplementary matter more satisfactory, and a more complete table of corrections for the different counties, tham it has been found practicable to collect. In the letter om Mr. Britton, inserted in the general preface to the "BEAUTIES," very just and sufficient reasons are alleged for the silence of the Editors of the early volumes. It is, indeed, to be much regretted that, from various causes, for which no individual conductor of the work is responsible, so great a disparity should exist between the extent of description embraced by several early volumes and those produced. in more advanced stages of this publication. In regard to the Counties executed under the direction of the present publisher, due exertions have been made to procure from the respective Editors, in conjunction with many gentlemen interested in particular districts, materials to supply any important omissions, or to correct any serious errors. Some additional intelligence is thus afforded; but if the reader, in dulging in partiality for a spot familiar to himself, should be induced to complain that many objects are still unnoticed, he is requested to recollect that it is the professed intention of this work to give a Selection only of topographical subjects. The labours of complete historical detail, and indiscriminate survey, appertain to the regular and voluminous county historian alone. It is, however, too likely that many interesting objects have been overlooked, or injudiciously neglected, even in the most ample of our delineations. For such omissions the Editors must throw themselves on the indulgence of the Public. Summaries of the Population, according to the returns made under the act passed in the year 1811, for all such counties as were described before that period, are here presented; and it is presumed that they constitute an article of information particularly acceptable and useful. BEDFORD |