The calamity of 1731 brought about what may, in a sense, be termed a partial compensation, by inducing Major Arthur EDWARDS to make an important bequest, with the view of precluding its recurrence. [Sidenote: THE BEQUEST OF ARTHUR EDWARDS.] Owing to the protraction of a life interest in the legacy—the terms of which will be cited in describing that eventual Act of Incorporation which created the British Museum—it did not become available until other arrangements had made its application to building purposes needless. It was, consequently, and in pursuance of the Testator’s contingent instructions, appropriated to the purchase of books in the manner, and with results, which will be spoken of in a subsequent chapter. Major EDWARDS also bequeathed his own collection of about 2,000 volumes of printed books, by way of addition to the Cottonian Library of MSS. These, however, were not actually incorporated with the Museum collections until the year 1769. For several years, BENTLEY conjoined the Keepership of the Cottonian with that of the Royal Library. His predecessors in the office were Dr. Thomas SMITH (hitherto the only biographer of the Founder,) and William HANBURY, who had married a descendant of the Founder. [Sidenote: THE KEEPERS OF THE COTTONIAN LIBRARY.] Dr. SMITH was less eminent as a scholar—though his learning was great—but far more estimable as a man, than was his successor in the Keepership, the imperious and covetous Master of Trinity. For conscience sake, SMITH had given up both a good fellowship and a good living, at the Revolution. Literature profited by the loss of Divinity. He died in May, 1710. HANBURY—by a very undesirable plurality—was a Trustee as well as Keeper. That he was not, in either capacity, strictly faithful to the spirit of the Trust confided to him seems to be established by incidents which I find recorded in the MS. Diary of Humphrey WANLEY. The reader will observe that it is possible to reconcile WANLEY’S statement with the supposition that the MSS. alienated had never actually been made part of the Cottonian Library, though it is as plain as sunlight that a really faithful trustee would have made them part of it. As it turned out, the sale of them did no actual and eventual mischief. On December 2nd, 1724, says WANLEY, ‘I had a conversation with Mr. HANBURY, who owned that he hath still in his possession many original and valuable papers given him by his wife’s brother, Sir John COTTON, which now lie in different places. These papers and whatever else happens to be among them—as books, rolls, &c.—he hath agreed to put into my hands for my Lord’s [OXFORD’S] use. [Sidenote: _Wanley’s Diary_, MS., ii, 40 (B.M.).] I have promised that he shall be very well paid and considered for the same.’