THE TREATISE. xxxv forming part of the apostrophe to Britain, which were omitted in later editions, are very characteristic of the two divines: " And for the strength and elegance of Truth, A Barrow and a Tillotsonare thine."* THE TREATISE. THE " Treatise of the Pope's Supremacy,"reprinted in this volume, though by no means so finished as his other pieces, is yet, from the nature of its subject, as well as its masterly execution, the best known, the most popular, and the most valuable of all his works. It was written not long before the author's death, after his promotion to the Headshipof Trinity College, and he did not live to super- intend its publication. It was published, as indeed all his English works were, after his decease, under the superintendence of Dr Tillotson, then Dean, and afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury. It has passed through a great many editions. Walch says that the first edition of the Treatise on the Supremacy appeared in a separate form, quarto, in 1680;-1- but Tillotson's edition gives the Archbishop of Canterbury's imprimatur, bearing date February 27, 1678-9. The oldest edition which I have seen is, " The second edition, corrected," included in the folio edition of Barrow's works, London, 1683. In this edition, the Treatise on the Supremacy is introduced by a dedication to the Earl of Nottingham by " Thomas Barrow, the author's father," and an advertisement by Tillotson, " ThQ pub- lisher to the reader;" both of which we have reprinted. In this advertisement he says : " This excellent and elaborate Treatise of the Pope's Supremacy, the learned author of it upon his death- bed gave me particular permission to publish, with this modest cha- racter of it, that ' he hoped it was indifferent perfect, though not altogether as he intended it, if God had granted him longer life.' He designed, indeed, to have transcribed it again, and to have filled up those many spaces which were purposely left in it for the farther confirmation and illustration of several things by more testimonies and instances, which probably he had in his thoughts; and it would certainly have added much to the beauty and perfection of this work had it pleased God that he had lived to finish it to his mind and to have given it his last hand." "However, as it is," adds Tillotson, " it is not only a just but an admirable discourse upon this subject, * " For what reason," says Dr Kippis, " these lines were afterwards omitted by Mr Thomson, we are not informed."Biog. Brit., art. Barrow. t Walch, Biblio. Theol., tom.'ñ. p. 208.
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