The Speeches are continued annually, although, probably for want of public notice, only scantily attended, none but those actually interested in the Visitation of the Library, together with the speaker's friends, being generally aware of it. If provision were made for the deposit of the Speeches in the Library after delivery, they would no doubt form an interesting and accurate record of its growth, and of many passing events which, for want of such a record, are soon forgotten. Only one speech appears to be preserved in the Library: it is that delivered on Nov. 8, 1701, by Edmund Smith, M.A., of Ch. Ch., and is very beautifully written in imitation of typography. But in this case nothing is recorded of the history of the preceding year, the speech being simply a panegyric of the Founder. It has been printed among Smith's _Works_, a pamphlet of 103 pages dignified with that name, of which the third edition appeared at London in 1719[141]. Dr. Rawlinson appears to have endeavoured to compile a list of the Speakers; for Bishop Tanner, in a letter to him dated Oct. 11, 1735, from Ch. Ch., says he will enquire them out, if he can, but that they are not entered upon the Chapter books, since they are not appointed by the Chapter, but privately by the Dean or Hebrew Professor, and paid by the Vice-Chancellor, in whose accounts alone their names are probably entered[142]. The names of the Speakers up to the year 1690 are given in Wood's _Athenæ_ (ii. 127) as follows. They were all M.A., and Students of Ch. Ch.:-- 1682 Thomas Sparke 1683 Zach. Isham 1684 Chas. Hickman 1685 Thos. Newey 1686 Thos. Burton 1687 Will. Bedford 1688 Rich. Blakeway 1689 Roger Altham, jun. 1690 Edward Wake * * * * 1701 Edm. Smith The following list from 1706 to 1734 has been gathered out of Hearne's MS. Diary:-- 1706 Rich. Newton 1707 Thos. Terry 1708 Will. Periam 1709 Rich. Sadlington 1710 Richard Frewin 1711 -- Aldred[143] 1712 Gilb. Lake 1713 Hen. Cremer 1714 Chas. Brent 1715 John White 1716 Edw. Ivie 1717 Hen. Gregory 1718 Thos. Fenton 1719 George Wiggan 1720 Thos. Foulkes 1721 Will. Le Hunt 1722 Hen. Shirman 1723 Matthew Lee 1724 Christopher Haslam 1725 Will. Davis 1726 Edw. Blakeway 1727 David Gregory 1728 [Rob.?] Manaton 1729 [Hen.?] Jones 1730 John Fanshaw 1731 Oliver Battely 1732 Dan. Burton 1733 Fifield Allen 1734 Pierce Manaton, M.D. [141] A long account of Smith is given in Johnson's _Lives of the Poets_. [142] _Letters of Eminent Persons, &c_, ii. 111. [143] Doubtless an error for Chas. Aldrich A.D. 1683. Three MSS., containing the Samaritan Pentateuch, the Syriac Pentateuch, and the Syriac Old Testament, were purchased at the cost of the University. A.D. 1684.