Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
Diary of a Tour in 1732 through parts of England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland (Author: John Loveday)

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Introduction

The Diary of a Tour in 1732 is printed word for word and letter for letter from the original manuscript,1 which is in the handwriting of the Author, John Loveday of Caversham in the County of Oxford, and Feenes Manor in the County of Berks.

He was born in 1711, and was the only son of Thomas Loveday, of Caversham and Feenes, by his wife Sarah, daughter of William Lethieullier,2 a wealthy Turkey merchant.

He entered Magdalen College, Oxford, as a gentleman commoner, 13th Feb. 1727/8, aged 17 years, taking the degree of B.A. 1731, and of M.A. on the 11th of June 1734. Even as an undergraduate he began to devote himself to philological and archaeological pursuits, and Hearne, the celebrated antiquary, mentions him in the Preface to Liber Niger Scaccarii, Wilhelmique etiam Worcestrii Annales Rerum Anglicarum, Oxonii; 1728, as ‘optimae spei juvenis, literarum et literatorum amantissimus.’

Hearne was indeed much indebted to our author for valuable assistance, while he was engaged on many of his laborious works; nor did the good offices cease with the antiquary's death, for in 1750 Mr Loveday restored Hearne's monument at Oxford at his own expense.3


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John Loveday published nothing in his own name, although his advice and assistance were asked for by many a learned author of the day, and always readily granted.

Grateful acknowledgments of his assistance frequently occur in the Prefaces to books of Antiquarian or Theological Research published between 1730 and 1780. He was also a constant contributor to the pages of The Gentleman's Magazine, under different signatures.

‘Mr Loveday,’ says Crito, writing in 1789,4 ‘possessed a most excellent understanding, which he carefully improved by study, and an unremitting attention to letters, during the course of a long life. He read much, and had well digested, and made his own whatever he read. Hence he had acquired an extraordinary fund of knowledge, particularly with respect to history, antiquities, the original languages of the Sacred Scriptures, and all kinds of philological learning. His merit was so conspicuous and well known, that perhaps few great works have been lately undertaken in these branches of literature concerning which he was not previously consulted.’

‘Indeed he was always ready to communicate useful information in this way, either in conversation or by letters. Hence his friendship and correspondence were solicited by men of the first rank in literature, and he numbered among his intimate acquaintance Mr Hearne the Antiquary, Bishop Tanner, Bishop Lowth, Dr Ward of Gresham College, Dr Kennicott, Mr James Merrick, Mr Granger,5 and many others equally eminent.’

‘His judgment, both of authors and their work, was just and accurate. If he ever erred, it seemed to arise from excess of


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candour, which perhaps sometimes disposed him to judge more favourably of publications than they appeared to merit. Authors, of whatever rank and reputation, who endeavoured to injure the cause of religion and virtue, he always spoke of with the contempt and abhorrence which they deserved. Nor were his goodness of heart and rectitude of conduct inferior to his natural and acquired abilities. In true piety and fervour of devotion, in the most strict and scrupulous attendance on the solemn offices of the Church and the domestic and private duties of religion, few of the present age have equalled, perhaps none have surpassed him. This spirit, as might be reasonably expected, pervaded his whole conduct, and influenced all his actions. He was himself humble and unassuming, without guile, of the greatest candour, and most amiable simplicity. With respect to others, he was a man of the strictest justice and integrity to all persons, of boundless hospitality to his friends, of munificence and charity to the poor and necessitous, almost without example.’

‘He was one of those few remaining private gentlemen,’ writes the author of the memoir in Nichols' Literary Anecdotes,6 ‘who, constantly residing in the country, have made it their object, by their authority, their example, and their beneficence, to promote the good order and comfort of their parishioners. He was a true member of the Church of England, whose institutions and discipline he thoroughly understood, and whose worship he most conscientiously attended till increased infirmities rendered him incapable.’

Miss Berry gives the following account7 of a visit paid to the author at Caversham in 1774, when he was 63 years of age: —
‘In 1774 my grandmother took us to visit at Mr Loveday's, at Caversham near Reading, an old Tory country gentleman, who had


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married a cousin of hers, and had two daughters much about our age: with them we formed an intimacy which lasted till their death, thirty or forty years afterwards. The intimacy gave me occasion to learn, in several visits to them afterwards, and when I was able to observe it, the character of Tory country gentlemen of those days, or rather of days before, and the sample I saw was certainly a rare and most respectable one. He saw much of all the clergymen in his neighbourhood. At dinner, the first toast was always Church and King; the second, To the flourishing of the two Universities; the third, To Magdalen, or as he called it, Maudlin College, where he had been educated. But he was, with all this, an elegant and accomplished scholar, and was delighted at finding me apt at recalling to his mind passages of the Roman poets.’

Possessed of an ample patrimony, John Loveday indulged his tastes for pictures, books, and antiquities, in a quiet and unostentatious manner. He laid the foundation of the family library which still remains intact at Williamscote, near Banbury, in Oxfordshire, purchasing among other rare books a Caxton's Cordyal in a nearly perfect condition. This book has in his own handwriting on the fly-page, ‘1728. Pretium 6s/8d.’

He passed away at the good old age of 78, much lamented by his friends and neighbours, as the Reading papers of that day and numerous letters testify, having led a gentle and quiet, though by no means an idle or useless life.

He was succeeded by his eldest son, John Loveday, D.C.L., who had married Anne Taylor Loder8 of Williamscote. Dr Loveday subsequently sold the old house at Caversham, and moved the collections of books, coins, pictures, and antiquities to the new home.

The following letter,9 in which allusion is made to the author


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and his intended tour, was written to Dr Richardson by Thomas Hearne: —


Edm. Hall, Oxford,

May 13. 1732.
Honoured Sir,

On the first instant your Son of University College, paid me a guinea by your order (for which I thank you), in full for your copy in small paper of Thomas Otterbourne and John Whethamstede which I am printing in two volumes 8vo.

But the occasion of my writing now is this. A friend of mine designs in a little time to go into Scotland, and desires to know whether in such a journey it may be safe travelling for two or three persons out of the high roads, if they have a mind to seek antiquities, and go into bye-roads; and particularly, if they have a desire to trace the Pict's Wall from one end to the other. He is a young gentleman that is inquisitive and curious; and being satisfied that most antiquities lye hid in bye-places, he hath a desire of seeing what remains there are at the Pict's Wall, and in some other bye-places; but is willing first of all to be satisfied whether there may be danger in such sort of travelling out of the high roads. My friend put another query to me — viz., Is it best to go by land or water from Edinburgh to St Andrews and Aberdeen? My friend's name is Loveday, and you will find mention of him in ‘Hemingford’, which I suppose you have received before this time. You are as likely a person to inform me as any, and therefore I apply to you in my friend's behalf.

Your known candour will excuse me, and I hope you will be pleased to answer this request of,

Sir,
Your most obliged, &c.

Thomas Hearne.


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The Itinerary I have compiled from the Text, adding references to the pages.

I cannot conclude the Introduction without expressing my acknowledgments to my dear friend the Vice-President (Rev. W. E. Buckley) for his advice and encouragement during the preparation of this work for the press.
John E. T. Loveday.