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an enumeration of his works, their contents, and a synopsis of particulars regarding editions, times and places of publication, and reviews, comments, and criticisms; or the name of the work is taken as a basis of research and the same results are obtained. Again, the investigator may desire to obtain an estimate of the critical value of a work, in a condensed form and apart from the point of view of essays and reviews. Lastly, the student may desire to gain a knowledge of the literature upon a given subject, and this is to be found in the catalogues. I have below given references to the most useful works in this field; but the student should supplement these and keep abreast of current literature by reference to the Annual Annotated Bibliography of English History, edited by W. D. Johnston. This has been published in both card and pamphlet form by the American Library Association. It will henceforth be found in the Annual Report of the American Historical Association. Knowledge of the valuable contributions upon present historical questions may be obtained by reference to Poole and Fletcher's Index to Periodical Literature, and also to the Cumulative Index.

The student, however, must not rest content with these sources of information. They will serve for the preparation of the skeleton bibliography, the construction of which should always precede serious historical investigation; but this framework must be clothed from the references to be found in footnotes and bibliographical lists attached to works upon his chosen field. Information thus obtained is more directly referred to its proper place, and assigned its exact value and application, than is possible in any general catalogue.

VIII

HARDY, THOMAS DUFFUS: A Descriptive Catalogue of Manuscripts relating to the History of Great Britain and Ireland. Published 1862-1891 in the Rolls Series (No. XXXI) in 3 volumes. Vol. I (2 pts.), --1066; Vol. II, 1066-1200; Vol. III, 1200-1327. Vol. I, pt. 2, contains a catalogue of printed source material up to date of publication.

This catalogue is of the greatest value. It furnishes in concise form a mass of indispensable data. It is, and must for years remain, the basis of bibliographical study in early English history. A supplement to Vol. I, Part 2, is needed, but the student can without difficulty supply the break from 1862 to this present date.

IX

WATT'S BIBLIOTHECA BRITANNICA: A General Index to British and Foreign Literature, ed. R. Watt. Edinburgh, 1824.

X

This catalogue is a mine of information. It is indexed by authors and subjects.

LOWNDES, WILLIAM THOMAS (b. 1800; d. 1843): The Bibliographer's Manual of English Literature, ed. H. G. Bohn. London, 1864.

XI

This series (11 vols. 12mo) is of great value. Its scope is indicated by the sub-title: "An Account of rare, curious, and useful books, published in or relating to Great Britain and Ireland, from the invention of printing; with biographical and critical notices, collations of the rarer articles and the prices at which they have been sold in the present century." The appendix volume is especially useful; it contains "An Account of books issued by literary and scientific societies and printing clubs; books printed at private presses; privately printed series; and the principal literary and scientific serials."

THE ENGLISH CATALOGUE of Books published from 1835 to January 1863. Comprising the Contents of the London and the British Catalogues, etc., etc. London, 1864.

XII

This series has been continued to date. Although it leaves much to be desired, it is invaluable. Its appendix continues the work of Lowndes (No. X) in cataloguing publications of learned societies. It thus bridges the gap between Lowndes and the Official Year Book of the Scientific and Learned Societies, which was begun in 1884. The scope of this series is shown by the sub-title of its continuations: "An Alphabetical List of Works published in the United Kingdom and of the Principal Works published in America. With dates of Publication, Indications of Size, Price, Editions and Publishers' names." For earlier record of printed books see the catalogues of Maunsell (1595) A Catalogue of certaine books (1631), London (1658), Clavell (16661695), Bent's General Catalogue (1786), London Catalogue (1811-1855) continued by No. XI. See also The American Catalogue.

GROSS, CHARLES: Bibliography of British Municipal History, including Gilds and Parliamentary Representation. Published in Harvard Historical Studies, 1897.

This is the most modern, the most illuminating, and withal the most satisfactory work within its chosen field. The scope of the work is even more extensive than indicated by its title.

In addition to the class of works included above, there are a number of most helpful volumes upon modern historians. These do not pretend to be as scientific in treatment or as inclusive in scope as those numbered from I to XII and yet should be within access of students. Among them I would enumerate:

XIII

ADAMS, C. K.: Manual of Historical Literature.
York, 1888.

XIV

New

This work comprises "brief descriptions of the most important histories.' It is a helpful work, and from it may be obtained impartial and accurate estimates of historical values.

The Manual was first published in 1882. No thorough revision has been made. The revision of 1888 was not a complete one. A new edition of this valuable book is needed.

SONNENSCHEIN, W. S.: Best Books. A Reader's Guide to the choice of the Best Available Books in every department of Science, Art, and Literature (about 50,000 titles) down to 1890, with prices and numerous notes. London, 1889. Also, by same editor, A Reader's Guide to Contemporary Literature being the first supplement to Best Books. London, 1894.

These volumes are of the greatest value. They are not only useful for historical purposes, but furnish a wealth of bibliographical information upon the multitude of questions arising in the study of history. Such knowledge is indispensable to the thorough student. The student should know Brunet, J. C.: Manuel du Libraire, Paris; also Ebert, F. A. Allgemeines bibliographisches Lexikon, Leipzig, 1821-30.

The student will find much biographical information in a book whose title would seem to limit it to a particular library, but whose application is not so confined. It is Hand-list of Bibliographies, classified Catalogues and Indexes placed in the Reading Room of the British Museum for Reference. See also Richard Sims' Hand-Book to the library of the British Museum.

SECTION 3.-GREAT COLLECTIONS OF MATERIALS

The manuscript sources of English history for the periods after the Norman Conquest are abundant and valuable. Through the labours of scores of scholars, working, not for gain, but for the advancement of historical science, the student has at his disposal critical editions of a large part of the most important sources. These texts have been prepared with an erudition and exhaustiveness that is unsurpassed, perhaps unequalled, in like critical work. The texts have in many cases been issued in collections and series, and it is my purpose in this section to give a general statement of the characters of the most important, and to indicate where detailed information concerning them can be found. The edited texts and single translations are enumerated in sections 4 to 10 inclusive. Certain students may shrink from an examination of untranslated sources; and I think it in place to encourage them by the statement that the most elementary knowledge of Latin can- because of the simplicity of style, the limitations of vocabulary, and the copious notes and special glossaries of the edited texts easily master the materials which are not in English.

XV

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ABBOTSFORD CLUB PUBLICATIONS.

XVI

This club was instituted at Edinburgh, 1835. Its purpose is the publication of miscellaneous works, illustrative of history, literature and antiquities. Its field of work is Scotland. For list of publications, see Nos. VIII and X and societies' catalogues. These latter should be consulted in looking up every reference herein given to publications of learned societies; also No. XI (appendix) and the Official Year Book for work of existing societies.

ACTA SANCTORUM: quotquot toto orbe coluntur, vel a catholicis scriptoribus celebrantur, ex Latinis et Græcis; aliarumque gentium antiquis monumentis collecta, digesta, notisque illustrata ab J. Bollando et al. Antwerp, 16431794.

This gigantic work is a mine of information upon the lives of the saints, but it is chiefly valuable to the secular historian for the light thrown upon the times of the characters described. For catalogue of British saints discussed in No. XVI, see No. VIII under title Acta Sanctorum.

XVII

ÆLFRIC SOCIETY PUBLICATIONS.

This society was instituted in London, 1843, for the purpose of publishing Anglo-Saxon and other literary monuments, both civil and ecclesiastical, tending to illustrate the early state of England. See Nos. VIII and X.

XVIII

ANGLIA SACRA: sive collectio Historiarum, partim antiquitus, partim recenter scriptarum, de Archiepiscopis et Episcopis Angliæ, a prima Fidei Christianæ susceptione ad annum MDXL, ed. H. Wharton. London, 1691.

XIX

For the contents of this set, whose scope is explained by its title, see No. VIII.

ARCHEOLOGIA. Published by the Society of Antiquaries.

XX

The society probably developed from a society which was founded in 1572. Its publications are valuable and chiefly relate to the early and middle period of English history. The catalogue of this series will be found in No. VIII. This series must not be confounded with the publications of the scores of Archæological Societies that exist in Great Britain. Many of these series are of great value. See No. X.

BALUZE, S.: Miscellanea, novo ordine digesta et non paucis ineditis monumentis opportunisque animadversionibus aucta, opera ac studio Joannis Dominici Mansi, Lucensis. Lucæ, 1761.

XXI

Contains various documents not elsewhere so readily accessible. Has been superseded by later works for which see No. VIII.

BANNATYNE CLUB PUBLICATIONS.

This club was organized at Edinburgh, 1823, with the object of printing rare works illustrative of Scottish history, topography, etc. Club was dissolved, 1861. Its publications are of value. For catalogue, see Nos. VIII and X.

XXII

BOUQUET: Recueil des Historiens des Gaules et de la France, ed. M. Bouquet. Paris, 1738-1855.

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