Page:History of Manchester (1771), Volume 1, by John Whitaker.djvu/567

 M EM. It is greatly to be wished, that some Gentleman would speedily give us a new edition and a numerous impression of Richard's infinitely useful Commentary. This would be of confiderable service to the cause of British and Roman-British antiquities. We might then hope to see a true knowledge and a just acquaintance with the original and primary period of our history a much commoner acquisition among our antiquarians than it seems to be at present. We might then hope to see our antiquarians more commonly begin their historical researches at the great fountain-head of our history, these mark the secret primogenial principles that mix and colour it at the source, and thence be better able to discern with clearness the several ingredients and tints that successively incorporate with it afterwards. And a complete and entire Manual might happily be formed for the Roman-British antiquarian, by adding all the British Notices in Ptolemy Antonine Ravennas and the Notitia to the Commentary of Richard, perhaps all the historical incidents in all the Roman historians, and certainly a Roman-British Glossary upon better principles than Baxter's. Such a work would be a most acceptable present to the historical and antiquarian world. And I am, in hopes that the present will be actually made it by my worthy and learned friend, the Rev. Dr. Hallifax of Oxford.

INDEX.