Page:William Petty - Economic Writings (1899) vol 1.djvu/223

microscopic notes. However that may be, Chamberlayne did not write a book on Ireland, and Petty did.

The British Museum possesses the best MS. of the Political Anatomy^[1]. It is written in a neat hand, upon paper carefully ruled in red ink, and bears, in the text, occasional corrections in a different and blacker ink, made by Petty himself. The history of this MS. can be traced with a completeness that places its authenticity beyond question. It was given by Petty to Southwell, of whose scrupulous care for Petty's MSS. there is abundant evidence, and remained in the possession of the Southwell family until the sale of Lord De Clifford's papers in 1834^[2]. At this sale it was purchased by Thomas Thorpe, and promptly appeared in one of his catalogues^[3]. It passed into the hands of Dr Neligan of Dublin, who probably bought it of Thorpe. At the dispersal of Neligan's library^[4] the MS. was acquired for the British Museum.

Inserted in this MS. is a letter from Sir Richard Cox, the historian of Ireland, to Southwell, endorsed "Bristol, 15 June, 1687. From M^r Cox On S^r W^m Petty's Anatomy of Ireland." The letter begins:

"Hon^d S^r.

My Curiosity was never feasted higher than with y^e reading of the Political Anatomy of Ireland wherein the learned^[5] Author at once discovers both his great abilityes & his great zeale to serve his^[6] Country: Nor^[7] will it in y^e least detract from y^e glory of his pformance, nor I believe disgust him that I communicate to you some difficultyes and remarques on that excellent discourse, wherein I humbly desire to be better informd." Cox then makes twentyfive detailed comments^[8], referring to the MS. by folio, and concludes,

1. Addl. MS. 21,127.
2. A Catalogue of MSS., State Papers and Autograph Letters received by Sir R. Southwell, the Property of Lord De Clifford, deceased. Sold by Christie, February 11, 1834, no. 599.
3. State Papers: Catalogus lib, MSS. bibl. Southwellianæ (1834), no. 711, p. 409.
4. A Catalogue of valuable Books and interesting MSS., the property of a well known Collector. Sold by Sotheby 17 August, 1855, no. 305.
5. 'Learned' is substituted for 'ingenious' erased.
6. 'To serve his' substituted for 'for y^e good of his' erased.
7. 'Nor' substituted for 'And tho' erased.
8. The comments are reproduced as foot notes to appropriate passages.