of
_Bibliographica_. Mr. Smith wrote some learned works which he left in
manuscript. _A Letter to Dr. Henry Hammond, concerning the Sense of that
Article in the Creed, He descended into Hell_, written by Smith in 1659,
was printed in 1684; and his _Obituary, being a catalogue of all such
persons as he knew in their life; extending from A.D. 1627 to A.D.
1674_, was edited for the Camden Society by Sir H. Ellis, K.H., in 1849.

The manuscript of the _Obituary_, together with the manuscripts of two
or three other works by Smith are preserved among the Sloane Manuscripts
in the British Museum. A portrait of him was engraved by William
Sherwin.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 36: Hearne in his _Diary_ (Oct. 4, 1714) states: 'That Mr.
Rich. Smith's rare and curious collection of books was began first by
Mr. Humphrey Dyson, a public notary, living in the Poultry. They came to
Mr. Smith by marriage. This is the same Humphrey Dyson that assisted
Howes in his continuation of _Stowe's Survey of London_, ed. folio;' and
in his preface to Peter Langtoft's _Chronicle_ (vol. i. p. xiii.) Hearne
describes Dyson as 'a person of a very strange, prying, and inquisitive
genius in the matter of books, as may appear from many Libraries; there
being Books (chiefly in old English) almost in every Library, that have
belong'd to him, with his name upon them.' Some of his books are
preserved in the British Museum.]

[Footnote 37: In an entry in his _Diary_ (Sep. 4, 1715) Hearne
says:--'Mr. Richard Smith's Catalogue that is printed contains a very
noble and very extraordinary collection of books. It was begun first in
the time of King Hen. VIII., and comeing to Mr. Smith, he was so very
diligent and exact in continueing and improving, that hardly anything
curious escaped him.']

GEORGE THOMASON, _died_ 1666

George Thomason, who formed the wonderful collection of Civil War
tracts, which was given to the British Museum by King George III., was
born at the end of the sixteenth or beginning of the seventeenth
century. Nothing appears to be known of his parents. He took up his
freedom as a member of the Stationers' Company on the 5th of June
1626.[38] His first publication was a new edition of Martyn's _History
of the Kings of England_, which he produced in conjunction with James
Boler and Robert Young in 1628, and he continued to publish books until
1660. He carried on business at the Rose and Crown, St. Paul's
Churchyard, and we learn from th