AN

OLIO

OF

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL

AND

LITERARY

Anecdotes and Memoranda

ORIGINAL AND SELECTED;

INCLUDING MR. COLE'S UNPUBLISHED NOTES
ON THE REV. JA'. BENTHAM'S HISTORY
AND ANTIQUITIES OF ELY CATHEDRAL.

BY

WILLIAM DAVIS.

-As 'tis a greater mystery in the Art
Of Painting to foreshorten any part
Than draw it out, so 'tis in Books the chief
Of all perfections to be plain and brief.

Butler.

LONDON:

Published by J. RODWELL, 46, New Bond Street, and
S. COOPER, 11, Dartmouth Street, Westminster.

PREFACE.

If a man is to wait 'till he weaves anecdotes into a system, we may be long in getting them, and get but few, in comparison of what we might get.

Johnson.

As it is the province of a good housewife to cater according to the known tastes of the different guests she expects at her Partner's table, so should it be the aim of a judicious Compiler to select such materials as will be most interesting to the majority of that class of readers for whom his work is intended, or into whose hands it is likely to fall; these materials, when selected, he may mould into what shape or form his inclination or capacity may dictate or allow - The injudicious collector of Anecdotes, makes use pêle mêle of any thing that falls in his way-The Man of Literary ability generally renders his materials subservient to some particular object ; but in doing this, the latter is often obliged, either to depart from the strict line of his plan, by admitting circumstances