declare that sheet of paper, which he had drawn up the day
before, and called it _his will_; for fear he should not
live till night. He had a very bad night of it last night,
being much troubled with vomiting. This morning we three
were with him again, and Mr. Martin bringing with him the
form of a will, that had been drawn up by Judge Holloway, we
writ his will over again, as near as we could, in form of
law. He has given to the University, to be reposited in the
_Museum Ashmol._, all his MSS., not only those of his own
collection, but also all others which he has in his
possession, except some few of Dr. Langbain's Miscellanea,
which he is willing should go to the public library. He has
also given all his printed books and pamphlets to the said
musaeum which are not there already. This benefaction will
not, perhaps, be so much valued by the University as it
ought to be, because it comes from Anthony Wood; but truly
it is a most noble gift, his collection of MSS. being
invaluable, and his printed books, most of them, not to be
found in town," &c. This letter is followed by other
accounts yet more minute and touching, of the last mortal
moments of poor old Anthony! It now remains to say a few
words about his literary labours. A short history of the
editions of the _Athenae Oxonienses_ (vide p. 45, ante) has
already been communicated to the reader. We may here observe
that his _Antiquities of the University_ shared a similar
fate; being garbled in a Latin translation of them, which
was put forth under the auspices of Bishop Fell: 1676, fol.,
in 2 vols. Wood's own MS. was written in the English
language, and lay neglected till towards the end of the 18th
century, when the Rev. Mr. Gutch conferred a real benefit
upon all the dutiful sons of ALMA MATER, by publishing the
legitimate text of their venerable and upright historian;
under the title of _The History and Antiquities of the
Colleges and Halls_, 1786, 4to., with a supplemental volume
by way of _Appendix_, 1790, 4to., containing copious indexes
to the two. Then followed the Annals of the University at
large, viz. _The History and Antiquities of the University
of Oxford_; 1792, 4to., in two volumes; the latter being
divided into _two_ parts, or volumes, with copious indexes.