author

W. H. (William Henry) Hart

d. 1888

A Victorian antiquarian with a knack for bringing old records back to life, he worked closely with historical manuscripts and helped make important medieval and early modern sources available to readers. His books range from archival editions to curious pieces on figures like Nell Gwynne and documents about magic in Elizabethan England.

1 Audiobook

Index Expurgatorius Anglicanus Or, a descriptive catalogue of the principal books printed or published in England, which have been suppressed, or burnt by the common hangman, or censured, or for which the authors, printers, or publishers have been prosecuted

Index Expurgatorius Anglicanus Or, a descriptive catalogue of the principal books printed or published in England, which have been suppressed, or burnt by the common hangman, or censured, or for which the authors, printers, or publishers have been prosecuted

by W. H. (William Henry) Hart

About the author

Born in 1828 and dying in 1888, William Henry Hart was a British antiquarian, a clerk at the Public Record Office, and a record agent. His career put him close to original historical documents, and that practical experience shaped the works he became known for.

Hart edited and published a number of important source collections, including material connected with monasteries and other historical records. He also wrote or compiled works on more unusual literary and historical subjects, such as A Memorial of Nell Gwynne, Observations on Some Documents Relating to Magic in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth, and Selections from the Correspondence of Robert Bloomfield, the Suffolk Poet.

For listeners interested in older history books, Hart is appealing because he stood between the archive and the general reader. His writing and editorial work reflect the nineteenth-century passion for recovering the past from manuscripts, letters, and official records.