55 reported in Dr. Birch's History, so far as I found, to have given currency to this state- ment), I thought that by these MSS. I should be able to test the truth of these statements. But the librarian of the Royal Society knew nothing of any MSS., either of Pell's or of Warners; and, as the result will show, it would have been odd if he had — at least, in his official capacity. I then made inquiry of the Duke of Northumberland, in whose library the MS. of Warner, once a pensioner of his house, might possibly be preserved ; but Mr. J. E. Martin informed me that this hope was a vain one. I found that Sion College had once possessed one MS. of War- ner's ; but I learnt from the Rev. W. W. Mil- man that they had lost it, and much besides, in the great fire of London in 1666. Finally, when taking the register of Merton College up to the British Museum for the purpose of comparing the entries made in that volume during Harvey's wardenship with his one authentic autograph MS. now in the national collection, I bethought me of making, at the same time, some inquiries as to Warner and Pell ; and at last, when I least expected it,
