The “Divers Voyages touching the Discoverie of America”, was the first publication of the active-minded and public-spirited clergyman from whose name the Hakluyt Society has derived its designation. To many members the question will naturally suggest itself, why, having thought the name worthy adoption, the work should have been so long postponed. The following is the explanation of this circumstance. When the Hakluyt Society was instituted, the first work proposed for publication was the “Divers Voyages” but it having been ascertained that the late intelligent American bookseller, Mr. Rich, had contemplated publishing a fac-simile reprint, and that he had had cut a fount of black-letter type for that purpose, application was made to him, in order to ascertain whether he still proposed carrying that design into effect. Mr. Rich, in reply, stated that he was willing to leave the work in the hands of the Society, provided the Council would print it as he himself had proposed to do, and would purchase the type he had had cast for it. As it was not deemed advisable to adopt this proposition, and as a separate publication by the Society would have interfered prejudicially with Mr. Rich's prior right, it was considered proper to forego what would certainly have been the most appropriate leader of their series, and to adopt some other work.