In the text the Lives have been given in alphabetical order of the names. This was necessary, not only on account of their number—more than 400—but because Aubrey, in compiling them, followed more than one principle of selection, writing, first, lives of authors, then, lives of mathematicians, but bringing in also lives of statesmen, soldiers, people of fashion, and personal friends.
The following synopsis of the lives may serve to show (i) the heads under which they naturally fall, (ii) their chronological sequence.
The mark † indicates the year or approximate year of death; ‡ denotes a life which Aubrey said he would write, but which has not been found; § is attached to the few names of foreigners.
Writers.
Poets.
Prose.
Mathematics.
Alchemy.
Church and State.
Writers.
Mathematics.
Church and State.
Writers.
Poets.
Prose.
Mathematics.
Chemistry.
Zoology.
Alchemy and Astrology.
State.
Law.
Commerce, etc.
Society.
Writers.
Poets.
Mathematics.
Astrology.
Church.
State.
Law.
Medicine.
Commerce, etc.
Inventors.
Seamen.
Schoolmasters.
Miscellaneous.
Prose.
Writers.
Poets.
Prose.
Mathematics.
Church.
State.
Law.
Medicine.
Art.
Soldiers.
School and College.
Society.
Miscellaneous.
Writers.
Poets.
Prose.
Mathematics.
Science.
Astrology.
State.
Soldiers and Sailors.
Law.
Medicine.
School.
Writers.
Poets.
Prose.
Mathematics.
Science.
Astrology.
Church.
State.
Law.
Medicine.
Art.
School.
Commerce, etc.
Society, etc.
I. Of the Old School.
II. Contemporaries.
AUBREY'S 'BRIEF LIVES'