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Introduction XX111
strictly to a literal observance of the Latin. . .;
whereas in this Rehearsal of mine, I have...
allowed my self such elbow-room of expres¬
sion as the humoursomness of the Subject
and the Idiom of each language did invite,
if not command.” Kennett in consequence
is long-winded and prosy, and his ‘elbow-room’
has resulted in a coarseness of expression surpris¬
ing in a future Church dignitary : yet his distin¬
guished position gained his book the popularity
of continued reprints. Wilson’s, with its truer
though faint echo of Erasmus’s terse vivacity,
was neglected until recently edited by Dr. Rouse.
A translation made in 1878 by James Copner, late
vicar of Elstow, proves that the ‘ Moria’ has not
lost its attraction for modern scholars.
In this edition Wilson’s spelling has been re¬
tained, but for the convenience of modern
readers the old punctuation has been altered
and the text divided into paragraphs. Some
disagreeable phrases have been omitted, and
a few obvious mis-translations corrected, where
possible in Chaloner’s words. The correction
on p. IIo, ‘Sthenelus’ for ‘Stelenus’, has been
adopted from Dr. Kan.