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����When�� twenty years ago�� at the invitation of Messrs. Kegan Paul�� Trench�� Truebner & Company�� I contributed to their International Scientific Series a Handbook of Greek and Latin�� Palaeography�� I hardly dared to hope that such a work would appeal to more than a limited number of students. Yet�� even at that time�� the study of Palaeography had begun to take a wider range�� and the ever-growing output of photographic reproductions and especially the interest aroused by the recovery of valuable relics of Greek Literature which so frequently were coming to light among the newly-found papyri from Egypt combined to give it a greater stimulus. For this reason�� and rather because it happened to be the only book of its kind in the English language than for any particular merit of its own�� the Handbook attained a larger circulation than had been anticipated�� and served more effectually the purpose�� for which it was written�� of a general guide to the subject.����A certain inconvenience�� however�� embarrassed the usefulness which might be claimed for the book�� almost from the first. The small form of the volume and the moderate price of the Series prohibited illustration on more than a limited scale�� and although the facsimiles�� as issued�� may have proved sufficient as an accompaniment of the text�� their value as palaeographical specimens�� representing as they did only very small sections of the pages of the MSS. from which they were selected�� could not count for much. Moreover�� the letter-press being stereotyped�� the introduction of new matter in any satis-factory degree was attended with difficulties. Therefore�� when�� in 1906�� a third edition of the Handbook was called for�� it was suggested to the publishers that the time had arrived for a fuller treatment of the subject both in text and in illustration. They were�� however�� of opinion that the Handbook�� as it stood�� still had its value�� at the same time they very handsomely gave me authority to make use of it as a basis for a larger work. I here desire to record my grateful thanks for this concession.