The Life and Remains of Edward Daniel Clarke

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PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION.

IN submitting these Memoirs of Dr. Clarke to the Subscribers and to the public, the Individual who has undertaken to compile them, fears that he must bespeak their indulgence for the very imperfect manner in which the task, interrupted by various causes, and resumed under many disadvantages, has been performed.

It has been his main object to bring forward most prominently into the Work so much of the Remains of Dr. Clarke as seemed likely to gratify his friends. At the same time he has made it his endeavour to select from the large mass of materials before him, those portions, which appeared best calculated to illustrate his life and character, or by their intrinsic merit to support his established reputation with the public. In what manner the Editor has exccuted this task of selection, rendered more difficult by the irregular manner in which the materials have been supplied, must be left to the judgment of others. He hopes he will be thought to have done no injustice to the memory of his friend, whom he has endeavoured to exhibit as he was, fully, candidly, and fairly; and if it shall be judged in any quarter, that he has indulged too much in the language of panegyric, he is persuaded that those who were best acquainted with Dr. Clarke will be most ready to make every allowance for the error. It is difficult for any one whom he regarded to speak of him with moderation, and the Author of this Memoir shared too long and to largely in his friendship, to be exempt from the partiality it inspired.

He has to acknowledge much kindness in the prosecution of his task. To one friend, in particular, his thanks are justly due for more assistance than he can well express; suffice it to say, without involving him in the imperfections or even in the opinions of the narrative, that his aiding or correcting hand may be traced in every portion of the work, and that in some of them the pains he has bestowed have been not less than those of the author himself. many other persons the work is indebted for the ready supply of letters, and of such other information as they happened to possess. WILLIAM OTTER.

PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION.

THE second Edition of the Life and Remains of Dr. Clarke, is now offered to the public with little alteration, and therefore requires but little comment from the Author. He cannot, however, suffer this occasion to pass by without expressing to the Subscribers, the strong sense he entertains of the kindness with which the work has been received by them-a kindness the more valuable, as it conveys to him the welcome assurance that the memory of his Friend has not suffered in his hands.

It remains only to take a short notice of the present Edition.—A few verbal errors have been corrected; some letters which had been mislaid while the first Edition was printing, and have been since found, are now inserted; and at the suggestion of several Friends of Dr. Clarke, his Tract upon the Blow-pipe and his Letter to Archdeacon Wrangham upon the character of Wheler have been reprinted for the Appendix.

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