Pagina 8 [8]
OCR
PREFACE in Holland to Dr. Molhuysen, Dr. Muller and Dr. van Rijn ; in Italy to Dr. Brom of the Dutch Historical School at Rome, and to Count Ugo Balzani ; in Spain to Sr. Menendez y Pelayo (f) and Professor Bonilla y San Martin ; in Switzerland to Dr. Bernoulli and Dr. Schiess ; in America to Professor J. L. Gerig of Columbia University and Professor Preserved Smith of Amherst ; and in this country to Mr. Loveday of Williamscote, Dr. Seebohm (+), and Professor W. H. Woodward. The three whom we mourn as dead need no memorial here ; their names are known far and wide. M. Vander Haeghen as a librarian and bibliographer, Dr. Seebohm as a historian and owner of books gave prompt help and encouragement to this work at its first beginning, nearly twenty years ago. I delight to count them as masters and to remember how much I have owed to them at every stage. Of him whom his countrymen affectionately call ‘Don Marcelino’ I cannot even say ‘Vidi tantum’; but the fragrance of the welcome extended by his letters, written in illness, will not fade. I should like to be able to render to this trio of famous scholars the tribute they would most have valued, of handing on to those that come after the spirit of high endeavour and ample generosity that characterized all their work. With this volume we are practically finished with the two Deventer manuscripts. Ten years have elapsed, almost to the day, since they first entered the Bodleian: and they are now on the point of returning to their northern Athenaeum. All scholars know how great is the advantage of having originals at hand, when printing: but only we who have turned to these manuscripts again and again can be conscious of the numerous occasions on which their presence here has made it possible to advance nearer to the standards of accurate reproduction which such work as this requires. Our most grateful thanks are due to Dr. van Slee and the Curators of the Deventer Library for the far-sighted patience with which they have acquiesced in this long delay. The assistance they have rendered us is incomparable. P. Sì ALLEN. 23 MERTON STREET, OXFORD. 26 March 1913.
