Page:The Life of Sir Thomas More (William Roper, ed by Samuel Singer).djvu/12

 colour of the style will not be found changed by this innovation.

In the present, as in the former impression, I have given that part of Hearne's Latin preface to his edition of this work which has relation to it; also Mr. Lewis's preface, and the Dedication to the first edition by its anonymous editor T. P.

It should appear that Mr. Roper compiled this life about the close of Queen Mary's reign (A.D. 1557), when Sir Thomas More's English Works were first collected and printed, at the queen's instance, by his nephew, Mr. Justice Rastall. Perhaps it was not ready for the press before the death of Mary, and it is obvious why it was not printed during the reign of her successor. Like other books of a Catholic tendency it was handed about in manuscript, and in the course of frequent transcripts the text became very much corrupted. It is hoped that the two excellent manuscripts which have been collated for this edition may have restored the text to nearly its original integrity.

The Appendix has received some further augmentation which I think will be found acceptable; and here I have continued the old spelling and pointing, because the letters are taken from the printed copy of Sir Thomas More's works, which Dr. Johnson thought might "be better trusted than any English book of that or the preceding