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Thus flourished that Illustrious College of Antiquaries, whose
Meetings were chiefly held at Sir Robert Cotton's House (I). For they
had no publick Place for it. And therefore these Gentlemen
considering that they were but a private Society, which several
Accidents might either interrupt, or even dissolve, and did besides
want some Accommodations, in order to fix and perpetuate an
Institution so beneficial to the Publick, they resolved to apply to
the Queen for a Royal Charter, and for some publick Building, where
they would perform their Exercises; and intended to erect a Library
suitable to it. And they had the more reason to believe they could
obtain such a Grant, that the Queen, not contented with a superficial
Smattering of Learning, back'd with Conceit and Talkativeness, (which
is the highest pitch Persons of the first Rank do commonly arrive to)
was truly and solidly learned, and a real Encourager of Letters :
wherein she had the ready Concurrence of her Ministers, who were no
less conspicuous for their Learning, than for their Integrity and
consummate Wisdom.


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