Itinerarium curiosum (centuria I) : $b or, an account of the antiquities, and remarkable curiosities in nature or art, observed in travels through Great BritainStukeley, William
History
Itinerarium curiosum (centuria I) : $b or, an account of the antiquities, and remarkable curiosities in nature or art, observed in travels through Great Britain
Stukeley, William
Great Britain -- Antiquities -- Early works to 1800; Great Britain -- Description and travel -- Early works to 1800
The last plate, of the great conjunction of the five planets, I
added as an _æra_ of my book. This memorable appearance, because it
affected not the vulgar like a solar eclipse, was almost neglected
by the learned. I had a mind to do it justice by printing the type
of it from the diagram sent me by the great Dr. Halley. For my part,
I congratulate myself for living in an age fruitful of these grand
phænomena of the celestial bodies, and am pleased, that beside the
total eclipse 1715, we have in the space of two years this great
conjunction, a transit of Mercury across the sun, a comet, the last
eclipse of the sun, and in March next another great conjunction.
The numerous plates I have given the reader, of ground-plots and
prospects of Roman cities, I thought contributed much towards fixing
their site, and preserving their memory: they may be useful to curious
inhabitants, in marking the places where antiquities are found from
time to time, and in other respects. There are some few errors of the
press escaped me, notwithstanding all my care; but none, I think, of
any consequence. I have taken care to make the Index as instructing as
I could. The title of _Roman roads_ belongs to such as are anonymous,
or not commonly taken notice of: that of _Roman coins_ points to such
places as are not Roman towns, or particularly described. _Etymology_
includes only such words as are scattered casually in the work, or
matters that are not comprehended under any other head; and so of the
rest.
One general observation I have made within the short space of time
my travels were limited to, that husbandry, grazing, cultivation of
waste lands, all sorts of trades and manufactures, towns and cities,
are hugely improved; and especially the multitude of inhabitants is
increased to a high proportion: the reason of it is not difficult to be
guessed at.
What I shall next trouble the reader withall, will be my intended work,
of the history of the ancient Celts, particularly the first inhabitants
of Great Britain, which for the most part is now finished. By what I
can judge at present, it will consist of four books in folio. I. The
history of the origin and passage of the Celts from Asia into the west
of Europe, particularly into Britain; of their manners, language, &c.
II. Of the religion, deities, priests, temples, and sacred rites, of
the Celts. III. Of the great Celtic temple at Abury in Wiltshire, and
others of that sort. IV. Of the celebrated Stonehenge. There will be
above 300 copper plates of a folio size, many of which are already
engraven; and many will be of much larger dimensions. Upon account,
therefore, of the vast expence attending this work, I shall print no
more than are subscribed for; the money to be paid to me only. Thus
much I thought fit to advertise the friendly reader.
_Ormond-street, 26 Dec. 1724._
GULIELMO STUKELEY, _M. D._
_Amicus Amico_, &c.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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