A.D. 1674
In this year appeared the third Catalogus impressorum Librorum Bibliothecæ Bodleianæ, in one folio volume, divided into two parts of 478 and 272 pages respectively. It is dedicated to Archbishop Sheldon, by Hyde the Librarian, not without reason, as being printed in that Theatre which the Archbishop had so lately built. The Keeper, in this dedication, speaks very feelingly of the daily weariness of mind and body which the compilation of the Catalogue had cost him, and tells how his very hours for refreshment had been spent among books alone, and how (mirabile dictu!) he actually had not shrunk even from the inclemency of winter131. In his preface he says that, on his entrance into office, he reckoned that the work of a new catalogue would occupy him for two, or at most three, years; six, however, had been spent in compilation and transcription, one in revision and enlargement, and, lastly, two in the actual printing. Yet, says he, he never withdrew his neck from the yoke, and postponed all considerations of bodily health. People little know, he proceeds, what it is to accomplish a work of this kind. What is easier, say they, than to look at the beginning of a book and to copy out its title? They judge only from one or two weeks’ work in some little library of their own. But, what with careful examining of volumes of pamphlets (which of itself was labour perfectly exhausting), what with distinguishing synonymous authors and works, and identifying metonymous ones, unravelling anagrammatical names and those derived from places, and the like, the poor man declares he endured the greatest torment of mind (‘maximo animi cruciatu’) as well as waste of precious time. It is clear, from these pathetic lamentations, that Hyde had no great love for Bibliography for its own sake. But, after all his complaints, it is actually asserted by Hearne that he ‘did not do much in the work besides writing the dedication and preface132!’ Hearne attributes the real compilation of the Catalogue to Emmanuel Prichard, or Pritchard, of Hart Hall, the janitor, who examined every book in the whole library, and wrote out the Catalogue, in two volumes, with his own hand. Hearne repeats this assertion frequently; it is found, e.g., in his preface to the Chronicon Dunstap. p. xii., and in his Autobiography (1772, p. 11), where he adds that he was well informed of this by Dr. Mill and others. If this be true, the inditing such a preface, while totally suppressing Prichard’s name, does little credit to Hyde.
Frequent mention of this Emmanuel Prichard is found between 1686 and 1699 as being employed upon the MSS., and as engaged in taking an account of duplicates and arranging Bishop Barlow’s books. In 1687, £20 were paid him for ‘writing a Catalogue of MSS.’ Probably this was the list upon which Hearne asserts that the index to the Bodleian MSS., in Bernard’s Catalogue, was founded133. Hearne describes him134 as being ‘a very industrious, usefull man.’ Although a member of Hart Hall, he never took any degree; but wore a civilian’s gown. He died in the Hall about 1704, aged upwards of 70, and was buried in St. Peter’s-in-the-East. He left £200 to the Vice-Principal of Hart Hall, which was partly spent in building a library-room135.
Notes
131 Of the ‘hyemis inclementia’ before the present system of warming the Library was introduced, several of the present staff of officers can speak as feelingly as Hyde. The writer remembers, in particular, one winter when, in consequence of the roof being under repair, the thermometer fell some eleven degrees below freezing point!
132 MS. Diary, 1714, vol. ii. p. 193.
133 Reliquiæ Hearn. ii. 591. But see p. 116, infra.
134 MS. Diary, li. 193.
135 Hearne’s MS. Diary, ciii. 38.