publication of this and some of the other works of his venerable
friend. He added several notes to the manuscript, and whilst in his
possession it was no doubt examined also by Gibson. It is referred to
in the notes to the latter's edition of Camden's " Britannia."

‡ [Perhaps in May 1692 ; when he is known to have examined another of
Aubrey's works, "An Idea of Education of Young Gentlemen". - Evelyn's
notes to the "Wiltshire" are thus referred to in a memorandum by
Aubrey on a fly-leaf of the manuscript: "Mdm. That ye annotations to
which are prefixed this marke [J. E.] were writt by my worthy friend
John Evelyn, Esq. R.S.S. 'Twas pitty he wrote them in black lead; so
that I was faine to runne them all over againe with inke. I thinke not
more than two words are obliterated."]

Had Aubrey's life been spared a few years longer it is very possible
that most of his manuscripts would have been printed, under the
stimulus and with the assistance of his youthful friend. His
"Miscellanies," which appeared in 1696, seem to have owed their
publication to these influences; and in the Dedication of that work to
his patron the Earl of Abingdon, Aubrey thus expressly mentions
Tanner:- "It was my intention to have finished my Description of
Wiltshire (half finished* already), and to have dedicated it to your
Lordship, but my age is now too far spent for such undertakings.† I
have therefore devolved that task on my countryman Mr. Thomas Tanner,
who hath youth to go through with it, and a genius proper for such an
undertaking."

* [The work alluded to still remains "half finished," being a
Description of the " North Division" only of the county. It has
been printed by Sir Thomas Phillipps from the MS. in the Ashmolean