436 1
F11 1







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A. W. SIJTHOFF's ENTERPRISE OF THE
CODICES GRAECI ET LATINI & PHOTOGRAPHICE DEPICTI DUCE BIBLIOTHECAE UNIVERSITATIS LEIDENSIS PRAEFECTO Ü Ü Ji
t 11
A. W. SIJTHOFF's UITG.-Mtf. LEIDEN 1908
)6 |



■
Apud A. W. SIJTHOFF Lugduni Batavorum (Leiden)
prodierunt:
Prof. J. van Leeuwen J.f. et Dr. M. B. Mendes da Costa,
Homeri Carmina cum prolegomenis et annotatione critica.
Iliadis Pars I. (Accedunt tabulae quinque). Editio tertia M. 3.—
Pars II. Editio tertia „ 3.—
Odysseae Pars I. Editio tertia „ 3.—
Pars II. Editio secunda „ 3.—
Dr. M. B. Hendes da Costa, Index etymologicus dictionis
Homericae „10.—
Prof. J. van Leeuwen J.f., Enchiridium dictionis epicae.
Partes II ,14.25
Aristophanis Vespae. Cum prolegomenis et com-
mentariis , 5.—
Aristophanis Ranae. Cum prolegomenis et com-
mentariis „ 6. —
Aristophanis Nubes. Cum prolegomenis et com-
mentariis # 6. —
Aristophanis Equites. Cum prolegomenis et com-
mentariis „ 6. —
Aristophanis Acharnenses. Cum prolegomenis et
commentariis 5.—
Aristophanis Aves. Cum prolegomenis et commentariis „ 7.—
Aristophanis Lysistrata. Cum prolegomenis et commentariis 5.-
Aristophanis Thesmophoriazusae. Cum prolegomenis et commentariis 5- —
Aristophanis Plutus. Cum prolegomenis et commentariis 5.—
Aristophanis Ecclesiazusae. Cum prolegomenis et
commentariis „ 5-—
Aristophanis Pax. Cum prolegomenis et commentariis „ 5 • ~
Prolegomena ad Aristophanem 10.
Menandri quatuor fabularum fragmenta nuper re-
perta. Cum prolegomenis et commentariis. Editio secunda „ 5-5° J, van Leeuwen, Carmina Latina. Post mortem poetae collegit filius 3.25











A. W. SIJTHOFF's ENTERPRISE OF THE
Codices Graeci et Latini
PHOTOGRAPHICE DEPICTI DUCE BIBLIOTHECAE UNIVERSITATIS LEIDENSIS PRAEFECTO
A. W. SIJTHOFF'S UITG.-M". LEIDEN







I.
The great usefulness of the reproduction of old manuscripts for scientific studies has long been recognized. As early as the seventeenth century several of those copies were made, which may be said to have been very important for that time. The principal of them are mentioned in the „Listes des recueils de facsimilés et des reproductions de manuscrits conservés k la Bibliothèque Nationale" by Mr. Omont, collected in the „Revue des Bibliothèques, Mai—Juin 1903."
However, this kind of copy may be said to have become obsolete, now that in the nineteenth century a general change has taken place in this direction, owing to the invention of photography, and in the first place by the mechanical manner of reproduction by photolithography, photogravure, phototypy etc., which has sprung from this invention.
Only when it became possible to make copies in this manner in a mechanical way directly from the original and then to multiply them by printing, could manuscripts be reproduced so as to give a true picture of the original, without any danger of errors, or mutilations being committed by the hand of man. Since then it has also become possible, through chromography and through the remarkable invention of colour-photography, to reproduce the nicest shades of the different colours of the E. i



miniatures in the manuscripts, of which the new edition of the Grimani-Breviarium affords a brilliant example. x)
Soon after the invention of photography the total number of reproduced manuscripts grew very considerable. In different countries, principally in England and France, reproductions of manuscripts of very different value appeared, more or less beautifully executed. In these, however, nothing like a general plan was to be perceived. Often chance decreed what the production should be.
But the right way had long been indicated by no less a person than Friedrich Ritschl. This genial scholar, in many ways in advance of his time, had already shown at great length in 1840 what great use true reproductions can have and what manuscripts should thus be reproduced in the first place. In that year he discovered a superior — as he believed — and cheap manner of reproduction (,,Uckermann's Lithography ) and immediately saw what great service could be rendered by it to philological science. The 30th. of September 1840 he communicated to ths „Philologenversammlung" in Gotha his plans for a „codex palaeographicus" and for „vollstandige Facsimilirung ganzer Codices" for which he specially assigned four species. 2)
„1) solche, deren Inhalt zum ersten Male bekannt gemacht wird;
2) Handschriften von sehr schwieriger oder verderbter Schrift (z. B. die Lexica Sangerman., Schol. Vat. Eurip. u. a.);
3) alle Codices unici, denen allein wir die Erhaltung gewisser Schriftsteller verdanken (wie etwa Hesych., Phot. Lex., Tacit. Annal. I—VI, Fest., in mehr als einer Be-
- ziehung Anthol. Palat.);
4) Handschriften, welche immer die Hauptgrundlage für
i, Bréviaire Grimani de la Bibliothèque de S. Marco a Venise. Reproduction photographique compléte éditée par Scato de Vries, Directeur de la Bibliothèque de 1'Université de Leyde, et S. Morpurgo, Directeur de la Bibliothèque de S. Marco. Leyde, A. W. Sijthoff. Livraisons I-X, 1904 svv.
s) Fr. Ritschelii Opuscula philol., vol V p. 579-



den Text eines an sich wichtigeri Schriftstellers bilden und bleiben werden (z. B. Aesch. Med., Soph. Laur., Aristoph. Rav., Plaut. Palatt., Terent. Bemb. u. s. w.)."
But a concurrence of unfavourable circumstances prevented the execution of Ritschl's great plans. It even seems that they were viery soon forgotten. At any rate the above-mentioned want of system continued to be feit during succeeding years. Sometimes one of the principal libraries gave a good example by making known by reproductions one or more of its greatest treasures. Sometimes it was the owner of a precious piece who wished to share the pleasure of his possession with other men. Often, too, it was the want to publish a new discovery as adequately as possible, which caused manuscripts, not so very important in themselves, to have the honour of being reproduced, rather than codices which had bee;n famous of old. Perhaps, also, some publisher wished to do something in the way of speculation, though as to this w<e should take great care not to be too ready with our belief.
It became ever more difficult to know and to collect what had appeared, principally because many reproductions, made at the expense of societies or rich individuals, could be supplied by the trade only with great difficulty and at exorbitant prices. It was impossible for most public libraries, and more so for private scholars, to buy any but the common ones.
Such was the state of affairs when a particularly practical and energetic scholar, Dr. O. Hartwig of Halle, made his voice heard and tried to reduce this confusion to order. Owing to his long experience as librarian and director of the „Centralblatt für Bibliothekswesen", established and directed by himself, he was specially acquainted with all the difficulties which existed in this domain, and which, as it seemed, could hardly be overcome unless some special occasion should present itself. This occasion he believed he had found in an invitation to join a universal congress of librarians at Chicago, at the time of the universal exhibition in 1893.



Here he hoped to find what was wanted in Europe a strong organisation and financial help. The American librarians and scholars, so he thought, are becoming ever more fully aware of the necessity of going to the fountain-head in their researches, of the necessity of a close comparison of the old manuscripts. These manuscripts are preserved in the European collections with the utmost care. They cannot be sent to the New World, and remain inaccessible for the Americans, if photography does not help them to secure reproductions. Therefore in America they are most interested in such reproductions, and on account of this it should be American money which could make it possible to do in European libraries what, generally through want of money', had till now been impossible, but yet was so very useful.
Nobody could see better the great use of these reproductions than Dr. Hartwig himself, who has gained special merits in his long career as librarian by his liberal system of lending manuscripts to the libraries of different towns and countries. In his „Centrallblatt für Bibliothekswesen" he had often demonstrated the advantage and the necessity of this. But however much he might bring about, the great inconvenience always remained that many manuscripts which are especially wanted for purposes of study, are, for the very reason of their great importance, so exceedingly precious, that even the most liberal librarians refuse to lend them. Therefore such manuscripts had to be made accessible in another manner, that is to say, by reproductions.
Th ere was an additional' reason for Dr. Hartwig's wanting to apply to his American colleagues, of all others, viz. his objection to the high prices which often prevented the purchase of much that had been published before. By taking the affair into his own hands and by the co-operation of persons interested in the matter, he hoped to effect a change and to be able to publish reproductions at a comparatively low price.
These considerations induceed Dr. Hartwig to apply to the Congress of Librarians at Chjcago (1893) with a memorial (inserted



in the Centrallblatt für Bibliothekswesen X 415 f.f. 1)), in which he says among other things:
„In our times the multiplying arts have made such progress that the duplicating of every manuscript is made possible, and copies can, in case of loss, replace originals, as far as is necessary for scientific purposes. Indeed, we often experience the fact that the photographic apparatus sees things upon manuscripts and reproduces them, which before we did not see with our own eyes. But up to this day, comparatively little use has been made of photographic multiplying processes in reproducing valuable manuscripts; I, at least, have heard more of intended photographic reproductions of manuscripts than I have ever seen. There is no doubt that in later years progress has been made in this direction also, and numerous photographic copies of manuscripts have been taken. But has this been done in the case of more valuable manuscripts? It is not my intention to deny that it has been done in single cases; but most of the manuscripts recently reproduced by photographic process belong to the class of newly found, more or less complete fragments of classic and early Christian literature. Manuscripts which have been known for a long time, and which are the most important of all, are not among them. The reasons for this fact are apparent enough. Photographic reproductions have been too expensive until now, and the (sale, therefore, small. But that may change as soon as the matter, so important for the preservation of the most valuable existing documents, is taken in hand in a systematic manner and without prejudice. To this end I would ask your co-operation, the more so as a truly international enterprise is in question.
I wish, therefore, to lay before you a proposition which, for the present, should be looked at only as a suggestion. I propose the formation of an association for the gradual photographic multiplication of manuscripts of the first rank in the world. As the seat of the direction of this association, I would recommend the
') An English translation is to be found in The Library Journal XVIII (1893) p. 503 ff.



University Library at Leyden, in order to exclude all national rivalry. Mr. W. N. du Rieu, the director, is highly respected as a librarian and a scholar. The institution is famous of old, and well located for international intercourse. Mr. du Rieu to whom great credit is due also in the matter of direct interchange of manuscripts between libraries, in a letter written to me on May 16, this year, has signified his willingness to take the matter into his hands, should he be requested to do SO'. The director of the association, who would have to be intrusted especially with the management of the finances, should be assisted by an advisory council, consisting of the directors of the foremost libraries of Europe and the chief of one of the great American libraries. For these positions I would propose the chief librarians of Berlin, London, Paris, Vienna, of the „Laurentiana" of Florence and the „Vaticana" at Rome. If the association would not be encumbered by a directory of too many heads, then I might recommend the addition of the chief librarians of Munich, Oxford, and St. Petersburg. This directory would have the task of selecting the manuscripts to be photographed for the association as proposed by the managing director, of obtaining the permission of the respective libraries to photograph the selected manuscripts, and of determining the order of the annual publications. As the yearly subscription for each member of the association I would propose an amount of from 100 to 150 marks (25 to 37.50 doll.) As soon as 100 members have permanently signed, the association is to be considered as founded.
The publications are to be sent out from Leyden; they should be issued in good and uniform style, while the manner of reproduction of the manuscripts them'selves would have to depend on the nature of the latter, and be left to the decision of the. directory. If a manuscript could not be published completely in any one year, it should be distributed over several years.
I do not care to enter into more definite recommendations at this time. For even to the question, which is nearest at hand, as to whether my proposition can be carried out at all on account of the cost, I can only say that all my attempts to arrivé at a safe result have been unsuccessful. That we cannot be surprised



at, since the prices for photographic multiplication of manuscripts vary materially at different places. But I think that, according to information received from' an expert in Germany, no more than two pfennige (Va cent) for a square centimetre of good photolithographic work need to be figured, aside from the print and paper. At the seat of many libraries there are good photographic establishments which would attend to the original copying cheaply, not taking state institutions into consideration, like the state printing offices at Berlin and Vienna, the technical bureau of the Italian Military Comm'andery at Florence, and perhaps the lmprimerie Nationale at Paris, which, no doubt, would come to the assistance of such an association, the intention of which would not be to do business."
Th'e success of Dr. Hartwig's memorial did not answer his expectations. At the congress it was simply introduced and for want of time referred to the direction of the American Library Association. *) Therefore it was not discussed until the following year at the Conference of (American) Librarians at Lake Placid, 17th— 22nd. Sept., 1894. Here it was recommended by the president, Mr. Larned, with the words (see the report in „The Library Journal" XIX, No. 12, P. 160):
„It is estimated that, at a cost of 100 francs to as many libraries as might reasonably be expected to take part in this scheme, there can be an extensive reproduction of certain rare manuscripts. The feeling of my trustees is that we should not hesitate for a moment to become subscribers to this, and for two reasons. If it is not done now it will not be proposed again for a long time to come. It might afford librarians the only opportunity
') The Library Journal, XVIII, N°. 9 (1893), Conference of Librarians, Chicago, July 13—aa, 1893, p. 87: „It was moved that M. Hartwig's paper referred by the World's Congress of Librarians to the American Library Association be referred to the council."



they may have for a century, to get copies of these manuscripts. In the second place, even if we are poor, we ought to be willing to give at least 20 dollars a year for the encouragement of such a proposition as this of Dr. Hartwig's."
After this recommendation they evidently thought the matter to be as yet unfit for being decided upon, and it was no farther entered into. Since then nothing more was heard of it, even after a repeated inquiry from the Leyden librarian, Dr. W. N. du Rieu. He had already accepted, with the necessary reservations, the task which Dr. Hartwig had allotted to him and had applied himself with energy to the further elaboration of Dr. Hartwig s plans. When he understood that help from the Congress at Chicago was not to be thpught of for the moment, he would not yet give up the biusiness as far as he was concerned. Ever acting in concert with Dr. Hartwig he now resolved to make an attempt at forming the intended association of librarians.
To this end he first applied to the Dutch Government with' a request for its moral, and also some moderate finantial support. This support was readily granted him. In the Budget for 1895 a sum of money was set aside for the preparation of the business, with the following explanation:
„It is proposed to form an international society for the autotypie reproduction of such codices as, on account of their great value, cannot be sent to a foreign library. The seat of this society will be at Leyden. Each library which is a member of this society, shall have the right to have a reproduced codex by paying a yearly contributior. for defraying the expenses. However, the preparation of this matter requires money for the payment of copying-fees and postage, in view of which the Government, believing that the establishment of this society deserves help from the State, wishes to set aside a sum of 100 fl. for the year 1895."
Mr. du Rieu, being assured of help from the Government and feeling certain of the sympathy of his foreign colleagues, whom he had visited or whom he had consulted by letter, could now develop his plan. Already in May 1894 he put the case



forward in a long article printed in „The Library VII; 63—64: *)
„I have explained my proposals on the above subject in articles which have appeared in the „Centrallblatt der Bibliothekwissenschaft" and in the „Revue der Bibliothèq u e s." Our confrère, Dr. Hartwig, of Halle, has also contributed a paper on the subject to the American Library Journal. A jDaper was read at the Library Congress at Chicago, but not discussed on the foundation of an „International Society of Librarians," whose object should be to reproduce in their entirety the most important manuscripts preserved in European libraries. It was suggested that the seat of the Society should be at Leyden, as the Leyden Library was the first to lsnd its manuscripts to other libraries. This practice of allowing rare books and MSS. to be sent to other libraries both at home and abroad, for consultation by students, although now in common usagc on the Continent, is little known in England, although the British Museum sometimes acts as the temporary custodian of rare books and codices. The geographical position of Holland also is peculiarly suitable for such an international scientific enterprise.
It is proposed to reproduce by photography the most remarkable MSS. in great libraries for a subscription of five or more pounds yearly. For this sum it is hoped to give each subscribing-library every year a copy of some important MS., whether of the Vatican Library, the British Museum, or the Bibliothèque Nationale. If twenty libraries of America, and ten or more of the United Kingdom are willing to subscribe, and the Austrian and Italian, the German, Belgian, Scandinavian libraries will do the same, for ten years, we could make 200 copies. In this case a & 5 subscription would be sufficiënt. What codices should be reproduced, what libraries might be expected to subscribe, are points that might well be discussed in The Library. The opinions of
') He wrote the same article in German in „Centralblatt für Bibl. XI 225 ff.", in French in „The Revue des Bibliothèques V, 20" in Dutch in The Museum II. 109 vv.



palceographers and philologists should be invited. I should also like to send out circulars to invite a committee consisting of English, French, Italian, German, Belgian, Russian, American and Swedish representatives to come and meet at Leyden for the purpose of a „Société Internationale pour la reproduction phototypique des Manuscrits non-touristes." By this term (non-touristes). I mean the most precious codices which cannot be allowed out of the library.
In the Centrallblatt I have already asked the opinion of our learned confrères on the following points: —
(1) Do you consider it sufficiënt to make two or three photographic copies of the best MS. — a third being preserved in another building in the same city — or do you prefer to make 200 copies for distribution among the members of the Society, whether libraries or universities, colleges or private bibliophiles ?
(2) I should desire to see the reproduction made in the city in which the library whose codex is to be reproduced is situate, and the monopoly of the whole series not given to one atelier.
(3) I should like to know what codices should be reproduced first.
(4) 100 marks was the sum suggested by Dr. Hartwig as the annual contribution, 150 francs by other librarians. Even £ 5 would be too small, I fear.
(5) The library that gives a MS. to be reproduced pays the usual contribution but receives two copies of the reproduction.
(6) Shall we reproduce Greek and Latin texts only, or miniatures as well? Shall we deal with other languages and early printed
books generally?
The greater the diversity the greater will be the interest.
(7) I 'would call upon all the members to subscribe for ten years. A few copies more than the mumber of members should be
printed for sale.
I should be glad to hear the opinion of the readers of this Journal as soon as possible, because with this year the Palceographical Society comes to an end. This Society has given very numerous pages of the best MSS., but only one page of each. Let us give a whole codex.



I think all libraries in Europe and elsewhere would be glad to have such an opportunity of acquiring a series of MSS. which could not otherwise be procured.
Our confrère, M. Leopold Delisle, administrator of the Bibliothèque Nationale, has approved of the proposal, and has been kind enough to write and teil me that he was supported in his approval by the Minister of Public Instruction. I hope the scheme will be acceptable to English philologists."
12) Among the answers and observations which his colleagues sent him concerning this article, that which Dr. Hartwig wrote in his „Centrallblatt für Bibliothekswesen" XI, 1894, 319, merits report.
„Ich bin der Meinung, dass alle von der Gesellschaft zu veröffentlichenden Facsimiledrucke in voller Zahl anzufertigen sind, so dass jedes der Mitglieder der Gesellschaft ein Exemplar bekommt. Dass nur einige wenige photographische Nachbildungen gemacht werden, die an einige Bibliotheken vertheilt werden sollen, wird schon desshalb nicht angehen, weil die leer ausgehenden Bibliotheken keine Lust haben werden, für andere Bibliotheken Facsimiles auf ihre Kosten machen zu lassen. Wenn auch einzelne Handschriften nochmals aufgenommen und vervielfaltigt werden, welche schon genau collationirt, ja photographisch aufgenommen sind, so schadet das nichts, da ja die Reproduktionen an der betreffenden Bibliothek immer erwünscht sind und z. B. auch für palaeographische Uebungen sicher gern benutzt werden. Dass die Aufnahmen auf das dauerhafteste Papier und in der dauerhaftesten jetzt bekannten Weise gemacht werden, versteht sich von selbst. Wie lange die Facsimiles dauern werden, mag die Zukunft entscheiden.
Ich halte gerade der Kostenersparniss wegen dafür, dass die Reproduktionen von Einem Atelier gefertigt werden. Natürlich müssen die photographischen Aufnahmen an Ort und Stelle und zwar unter der Oberaufsicht des Chefs der betreffenden Behörde gefertigt werden. Die Ver-



fertigung der Aufnahmen auf Glas oder Papier ist nicht theuer heut zu Tage und, wie mir von fachkundiger Seite versichert wird, ganz ungefahrlich. Hat Ein Atelier die Sache zu besorgen, so wird dieses die Reproduktion billiger liefern, wenn es regelmassig beschaftigt ist. Es wird danr auch viel Zeit mit Verhandlungen erspart werden, die an den verschiedensten Orten mit den verschiedenen Concurrenten zu führen sein würden. Die Versendung der einzelnen Exemplare würde dann auch einheitlicher und sicherer erfol gen. Zur Vergleichung mit anderen Angeboten füge ich ein hiesiges bei, nach dem für 200 Exemplare incl Papier verlangt wird für die Bildgrösse von 17/21 cm 30 M., von 25/32 cm 50 M., von 32/42 cm 70 M., von 42/53 cm 90 M.
In Betreff der Frage 4 bin ich mit Ihnen einverstanden Man lcönnte der betreffenden Bibliothek aber ein Facsimile des von ihr gelieferten Originals gratis überreichen.
Es sollten meiner Meinung nach die wichtigsten Handschriften aller Litteraturen, nicht nur der klassischen, reproducirt werden. Zwanzig von ihnen anzugeben dürfte schwierig sein, da wer die Wahl auch die Qual hat. Mir sind von Vertretern der orientalischen und der modernen Sprachen eine Menge Handschriften sofort genannt worden. Die Auswahl zu treffen, muss dem Direktorium der Gesellschaft, bei dem Antrage einzunehmen sind, überlassen werden.
Gewiss sind alle Zahlungsfahigen, die sich auf eine Reihe von Jahren abonniren wollen, anzunehmen. Ich würde jedoch die Zeit der Abonnementsbetheiligung nur auf 5 Jahre festsetzen. Zehn Jahre wird Manchem als zu lang erscheinen.
Gewiss würden mindestens 25—50 Abzüge mehr zu machen sein, als die Gesellschaft Abonnenten hat. Denn man würde ja sonst nachtraglich Eintretenden nichts nachliefern können, auch wenn sie zahlen wollten. Es dürfte sich vielleicht empfehlen, den Preis für Nachlieferungen über den gewöhnlichen Jahresbeitrag etwas zu erhöhen, um



Abonnenten für den Eintritt in die Gesellschaft von vornherein geneigter zu machen."
14) Dr. du Rieu received another detailed answer to his questions from the editor of the „Museum," Prof. P. S. Speyer of Groningen, who wrote (N. v. II. No. 10. Dec. 1894, Kol. 373 v.v.)
Dr. W. N. du Rieu put six qufestions to which he wished to receive the answers in this paper. Until now the invitation has not b:een accepted. Should we gather from this silence that our Dutch classicists take no interest in this matter? I, for one, cannot place a great value on this argumentum ex silentis; but I am of opinion that most of the questions, asked by the Leyden librarian, could be adequately answered by librarians, rather than by scholars. Yet there is one question, viz. no. 3, which ought to draw some answer from classic philologists, who are, more than anyone else, interested in this matter, as it is the question as to what codices should be considered worthy of b,eing reproduced in their entirety.
Let me therefore try to answer the summons of Mr. du Rieu, as far as important latin codices are concerned. Others who, like me, sympathize with Dr. Hartwig's enterprise, may be indueed by it to come forward with desiderata of their own. Whatever may have been decided upon at Lake Placid, it is not too late for such a list of manuscripts recommended for reproduction. First, however, I want to show once more the great usefulness of such reproductions. I suppose that there are some people who do not think such a costly enterprise fully justified. Now we have, they wil! say, excellent critical editions of most authors, in which, within a small compass, the carefully collected and selected apparatus is brought within the reach of every-one; as a rule the filiation of manuscriptural traditions is sufficiently settled, so that every-one knows, or may learn from the praefationes of the above-mentioned critical editions, what is the relative value of each of the libri MSS. which have served for the constitution of the text; hence, what is the use of those expensive reproductions? All this might bie very well for collectors of curiosa and



for bibliophiles, but does it render any great services to science? And the study of palaeography in our universities is sufficiently provideü for by the phototypes of the London Palaeographical Society by Chatelain and Zangemeister. Those who speak thus forger that „le mieux est 1'ennemi du bien." A good apparatus criticus is an excellent thing, which one has every reason to be grateful for to the man who put it together; bjut it is a better thing to have the manuscripts themselves b'pfore one. In using the former the reader has repeatedly to try, not without difficulty, to get at the version of the codex concerned, by means of scattered data; here he immediately finds what he looks for in the very writing of the man who wrote the codex, with all those small details which are of so much importance for a just valuatior of the manuscriptural evidence, and which even the most exact description is not able to give us so well as autopsy. Add to this that conjectural criticism never gives b'etter and more fruitful results than when it is brought about by reading the texts in the codices themselves. Th'erefore we should applaud every plan which, by a faithful imitation of our objects of observation, improves in no small degree the opportunities for the independent critical study of ancient texts.
Now, as to the codices which should be thought worthy of reproduction, I should say: in the first place take those which either form the only diplomatic basis for the texts concerned, or are of the utmost importance for the fixing of those texts, because they are the only or the biest representatives of a class recognized as a source. Only the palimpsests might well be left out, as, with regard to these, the end aimed at by reproductions, can, as a rule, bietter be gained by apographa, as the late! Studemund made for Gaius and Plautus of the Veronese und Milanese palimpsests. .Besides the famous Pandect-codex of the Laurentiana, the reproduction of which I should heartily applaud, I would place on the list:
1. The Laurentianus of Varro's libri de lingua Latina.
2 and 3. The two Medicei which' have preserved for us the Annals and History of Tacitus.
4. The Pithoeanus of Juvenal at Montpellier.



5. The so-called Puteaneus of Livy, a Parisinus, which contains the third decade.
0. The Laurishamiensis, the only manuscript of Livy XLI—XLV in the court library at Vienna.
7 and 8. The excellent Lucretius Mss. oblongus and quadratus, at Leyden.
9. The Parisinus of Minucius Felix.
10. The Bembinus of Terentius in the Vatican library.
11. The codex B. of Plautus, as the bjest representative of the Palatini, also in the Vatican.
12. The codex C. of Terentius, one of the Calliopiani, famous for its miniatures, which is also the property of the Vatican library.
13. The so-styled codex Neapolitanus of Propertius in the library at Wolfenbiittel.
13. The Laurentianus, which contains the Apologia, Metamorphoses and Florida of Apulejus; concerning the last Prof. Van der Vliet could give the biest advice.
In what goes before is also implied in what manner, according to the opinion of the undersigned, the first question put by Dr. Du Rieu should be answered. The more copies are made the better. As many scholars as possible should be enabled to get acquainted with and to use the important manuscripts in reproductions. A relatively large impression is desirable also from a financial point of view. In this case too this is likely to prove the least expensive way". x)
After these preliminary measures and after having received the promise of further support from the Dutch Government — if necessary —, Dr. Du Rieu decided, in the beginning of 1895, to come forward with a definite proposal. He did this in a circular letter written in French, which ran as follows:
') For the rest comp. Museum II 457 etc.



BIBLIOTHEQUE DE L'UNIVERSITÉ DE LEYDE.
Soeiété Internationale pour la reproduetion des MSS. les plus précieux.
LEYDE, le 22 Février 1895.
Monsieur et trés honoré Collègue!
Permettez moi de vous rappeler 1'idée de notre collègue de la Bibliothèque Universitaire de Halle (Saxe), M.le dr. O. H a r t w i g, de fonder une association internationale de Directeurs de Bibliothèques pour la reproduetion autotypique de MSS. Grecs, Latins et autres, qui, è. cause de leur valeur exceptionnelle, ne peuvent être consultés que sur place.
C'est & Chicago, au Congrès des Bibliothécaires du monde entier, en 1893, que ce projet se produisit au grand jour, et la Bibliothèque confiée k mes soins fut alors reconnue, k cause de sa situation, et des facilités que les savants y trouvent depuis longtemps pour 1'usage des manuscrits, comme désignée d'avance pour devenir le siège d'une institution appelée & rendre service & tant de savants de tous les pays.
Ayant regu un appui des plus honorables de plusieurs de mes collègues, j'ouvris dans le courant de 1894 une correspondance active avec ceux, qui partageaient mes idéés sur 1'utilité de 1'entreprise.
L'assemblée de Chicago ayant renvoyé sans discussion 1'examen du projet au congrès de 1'Association des Bibliothécaires Américains en 1894, on me promit de 1'appuyer, pour que les nombreuses Bibliothèques du nouveau monde, auxquelles il n'est pas donné de pouvoir se procurer des codices membranacei du moyen éige, pussent béné-



ficier de la reproduction des plus célèbres manuscrits des grandes bibliothèques de 1'Europe, et eussent 1'honneur de contribuer k la conservation et k 1'étude des textes les plus précieux pour 1'histoire et la littérature.
J'invitai de même dans plusieurs revues, telles que le Centralblatt für Bibliothekswesen, et la Revue des Bibliothèques, M.M. les professeurs de philologie classique, ainsi que mes collègues, k vouloir discuter dans ces revues quelques points essentiels, afin de nous guider dans 1'adoption des bases convenables k cette institution toute nouvelle.
Voulant savoir sur quels points devraient porter nos premiers efforts, je priai encore les savants de me signaler une douzaine de MSS. dont la reproduction pourrait inaugurer le plus utilement et le plus brillamment les débuts de 1'entreprise.
A mon grand regret, j'ai k peine regu une demi-douzaine de réponses et les objections qu'on pouvait faire au projet n'ont guère été discutées. Au premier moment, il semblait qu'il fallüt renoncer k 1'idée dont on m'avait fait 1'honneur de m'attribuer 1'initiative, et j'étais tenté, je 1'avoue, d'abandonner le terrain k 1'industrie privée qui, dans presque tous les pays de 1'Europe, a exécuté des reproductions excellentes, mais d'un prix trop élevé. Cependant, avant de nous retirer devant les A r t i s t e s, qui reproduisent nos MSS. en s'inspirant principalement d'intérêls mercantiles, je me suis cru obligé de demander aux Savants leur opinion sur une entreprise internationale, qu'il serait désirable de voir dirigée, avec des préoccupations exclusivement scientifiques.
Plus d'un Ministre de 1'instruction s'est déclaré favorable k la fondation de cette association, et le Gouvernement des Pays-Bas vient de prendre les devants, en proposant aux Etats Généraux d'accorder k 1'entreprise un subside modeste, mais permanent, qui nous est un puissant encouragement.
Ce subside vient d'être voté; j'ai donc 1'honneur de faire E. a



un appel k tous mes collègues, aux chefs des bibliothèques d'Etat et des bibliothèques de toutes les grandes institutions littéraires, universités, académies, séminaires philo-
logiques, etc. etc.
Je viens leur adresser ces deux questions: 1°. Approuvez-vous ce pioyen simple et peu coüteux, de faire annuellement 1'acquisition de la reproduction d'un manuscrit particulièrement précieux, dont 1'original ne saurait être déplacé pour être communiqué k vos compatriotes, dans le dépöt confié k vos soins? Désirez vous rendre ce service aux savants de votre pays?
2°. Pouvez-vous en qualité de Directeur de votre Bibliothèque, vous faire inscrire, vous et vos successeurs éventuels, comme membre de 1'association, avec obligation de payer, pendant une période de dix ans, la cotisation annuelle dont le montant sera fixé par les statuts définitifs (100
ou 150 francs)?
Si vous n'avez pas ce droit, et beaucoup de nos collègues ne 1'ont pas, voulez-vous demander k votre Gouvernement, ou aux autorités chargées de règler les acquisitions, si votre Bibliothèque pourrait se faire inscrire comme membre de 1'association pour une période de dix ans, afin de s'assurer la possession d'un exemplaire de tous les MSS. que la société fera reproduire?
Veuillez, s'il vous plait, m'honorer de votre réponse avant le 15 Mars quelle qu'elle soit; je vous en serai fort obligé. L'appui que j'ai re?u de mon Gouvernement me fait un devoir d'arriver le plus tót possible k une solution.
Aussitót que j'aurai réuni un nombre suffisant d'adhésions, j'inviterai les adhérents k choisir, entre Messieurs les Directeurs des principales Bibliothèques de 1'Europe, douze délégués qui seraient priés de venir ou de se faire représenter k une réunion convoquée k Leyde dans le courant de 1'année, pour jeter ensemble, après mür examen e: discussion, les bases de 1'association k établir prés de
la Bibliothèque de notre Université.
C'est k ce Comité qu'il appartiendra de fixer la coti-



sation annuelle, de choisir les MSS. k reproduire, d'examiner les procédés de reproductions, de déterminer le chiffre du tirage et de règler toutes les questions se rattachant au fonctionnement de 1'association.
Veuillez agréer, trés honoré Collègue, 1'assurance de mes sentiments distingués.
le Dr. W. N. DU RIEU,
Directeur de la Bibliotheque de l' Université.
Although this letter was sent to all libraries in the different parts of the world the result was very small. Many sent their assurance of great sympathy and their promise to co-operate or their advice, but the number of librarians who would and could promise to b.ecome jnembers of the proposed society- remained far below what was expected; and at any rate too small to begin anything without too great a risk. Dr. du Rieu had always declared that he would take the direction of this enterprise only if he could ohtain some certainty of success, that is to say, if a sufficiënt number of colleagues would engage to pay a fixed yearly contrib.ution for a certain number of (say ten) years. But now it appeared that many librarians could not take upon them to pay contribution for many years, owing to administrative or financial reasons. Only thirty-three agreed to give this assurance. The promises expected from rich American libraries did not come. Owing to this Dr. du Rieu was obliged, with great regret, to let the enterprise rest. He informed his colleagues of this in a printed letter, which ran as follows:



BIBLIOTHEQUE DE L'UNIVERSITE DE LEYDE.
Soeiété Internationale pour la reproduetion des MSS. les plus précieux.
LEYDE, le 20 mai 1895.
Monsieur et trés honoré Collègue I
C'est avec un regret bien légitime que je me sens obligé de vous faire part de la mauvaise réussite de mes efforts.
Faute de Sociétaires il me parait impossible pour le moment de fonder une association internationale pour la reproduetion autotypique des plus précieux MSS.
Une centaine de mes lettres ne fut pas honorée de réponse. Je n'ose attendre plus longtemps pour vous dire
oü nous en sommes.
II n'y a que 33 Collègues qui se déclarent Sociétaires pour dix ans; et parmi 25 autres, retenus plus ou moins par leur règlements, motif de comptabilité ou autre, plusieurs donneraient leur adhésion. Nous pourrions arriver k réunir une cinquantaine de Sociétaires, mais le nombre de cent ne sera pas atteint; je me vois donc obligé de renoncer k la tS.che que, sur 1'invitation de plusieurs de mes collègues, je m étais imposée par amour de la science et dans 1'intérêt des travaux d érudition.
Le nombre insuffisant des adhésions m'empêche d'inviter Messieurs les Directeurs de dix ou douze des plus fameuses Bibliothèques de 1'Europe h. venir è. Leyde pour délibérer sur plusieurs points k arrêter. Je sais d avance que les frais de 1'opération ne permettraient pas de donner chaque année la reproduetion d'un manuscrit de quelques centaines de pages dans des conditions dignes de la Soeiété.



Nous avons le ferme espoir que notre projet sera repris, un jour ou 1'autre, avec plus de succès. En attendant, nous nous consolerons si les éditeurs de reproductions héliographiques ou autres, auxquels nous devons déjk de si utiles travaux, .trouvent moyen de concilier leurs intéréts avec ceux des bibliothèques dont les ressources sont si limitées.
Agréez, Monsieur et trés honoré Collègue, le renouvellement de 1'hommage de mes sentiments respectueux.
le Dr. W. N. DU RIEU,
Directeur de la Bibliothèque de tUniversiié.
Scarcely had this letter been sent away when Dr. du Rieu received from many scholars their assurances of regret at the miscarrying of his praise-worthy attempts. Already cheered by this he was soon roused to fresh activity by letters from different inland and foreign publishers who offered their help and who mentioned more or less favourable conditions on which they were ready to realise part of his plans. He decided after careful consideration pot to finally give up the enterprise but to take an offer, which seemed particularly acceptable, that of the Leyden publisher, A. ,W. Sijthoff. The latter offered to publish at his own risk photographic reproductions of a series of twelve of the most celebrated classic Greek and Latin MSS., under the direction of Dr. du Rieu. Each part could be bought alone, subscription not being compulsory. Each library and private individual should have the opportunity on the appearance of each part to decide if the purchase were desirable or possible. The publication was to be begun immediately and with energy, so that one could promise with certainty that every year a part should be published. The only condition was that the Leyden librarian should be willing to take the direction öf the enterprise. Such an offer was considered by Dr. du Rieu as specially acceptable. He tarried no longer in accepting it, and so began Sijthoff's enterprise of the „Codices Graeci et Latini."



II.
Mr. du Rieu immediately began in an energetic manner to make preparations for this new enterprise. First he published an article in „De Nederl. Spectator", Febr. 1896, in which he told of the miscarrying of his first attempts and of his new plans:
„After some consideration I decided to connect this enterprise with the name of the Leyden library, and to accept the offer of my fellow citizen, Mr. A. W. Sijthoff, the experienced publisher.
But I could do this only after making sure of the permission and the co-operation of the 'librarians whose permission was required for the photographing of their codices. This took some time; besides I wanted to consult personally some colleagues, whose knowledge and experience I value most, now that I could not invite them to a meeting in our Dutch Athens. This I did, with favourable results, in the autumn, and in 1896 the time came for Mr. Sijthoff to make his calculations and to choose the best out of the many artistic firms who have proved most successful in ,this work.
(An early specimen paper and a subscription list will be sent. I have the highest expectations, because the great inconvenience on account of which the society of librarians was not possible'
— namely the contract for perhaps ten years without knowing how many reproductions they or their successors were to receive
— has been removed.
The publisher can and will deliver excellent autotypie reproductions or whatever name shall be given to this process. He asks payment only after supplying a codex bound in mediaeval style and he compels no subscriber to buy also the other eleven manuscripts, because he is 'sure that excellent reproductions, at a suitable price, cannot be refused by the university libraries.
The plan is to begin with a series of twelve codices, only Greek and Latin, excluding the middle German and middle French, and also codices which contain only illustrations; there will be



■
some miniatures and fine capital letters, but not so many as, for example, in the magnificent but very expensive Viennese Genesis, which Greek codex is accompanied by a precious and extensive historie introduction and critical text-edition.
Each codex will appear only with a short Latin introduction throwing light upon the history, the value and the writing of the original, written by an expert at the library which possesses the preciosum At least, my colleagues have given me some promises as to this, as a renewed proof of their kindness which I value very highly.
I conclude with a few words about the choice of the codices that are to be considered first. I shall not speak for the present about the second series, in which I place some which I could not bring among the first six Greek codices unici and six Latin ones. But I will observe that the few lists, received from highly esteemed quarters, concerning the most desired twelve pieces, were so widely divergent that I decided to make an independent and impartial choice. The preference for less classical writers and the antipathy between the nations were so obvious that a majoritj of votes could not be thought of.
I preferred the oldest codex or the most excellent of eleven classical writers, but first I take the Codex Sarravianus of the Pentateuch at the Leyden library; one hundred and thirty pf the quarto folios in two columns of the manuscript of Sarrau have been preserved here since the States of Holland and WestFriesland bought this precious book with so many excellent MSS. from the library left by Isaac Vassius. But twenty two folia are at Paris in the Bibliothèque Nationale, while two pages are preserved in the Imperial Library at St. Petersburg. It seems to me that we could not make a better beginning in our time, when we so .often hear of internationalism, than by asking the help of these three libraries for uniting what has been separated in originali for ,such a long time, and what, reproduced in an adequate manner, will give a picture of the MSS. of the five books of Moses, formerly copied in the same Greek monastery.
Moreover this codex is well worth being consulted by the friends of exegesis, even after the oldest texts published by Tischendorf,



the more so as this Bible-lover did not entirely collate the Leyden manuscript. May Mr. Sythoff's enterprise, beginning with the reproduction of God's word in the oldest form preserved, be of great use in promoting the knowledge of the Holy ScriptureS and in being a source of edification to the pious reader !|
The plan of placing in the first series the oldest Terence and the best Virgil of the Vatican, both uncial MSS., could be given up, as, a short time ago, we received the joyful tidings that these excellent Vatican Codices are to be reproduced at the expense of the Pope. Now I selected in their stead the Virgil Mediceus of the 5th cent and the Horace of Bern of the 9th, the Anthologia' Latina of Paris of the 7th or 8th, the only Tacitus of the 9th of the Laurentiana, and of the Leyden collection the Lucretius oblongus of the 9th cent. Of all these codices the writing is perfectlv known through the facsimiles, bnd the ablest editors have acknowledged them to be the most venerable and excellent, so that the study of the classics will greatly profit by them.
The same may be said of the Greek codices which I selected in the first place. The Aeschylus of the Laurentiana of the lOth or the llth cent.; the Anthologia Graeca of Heidelberg of the same time, a part of which is preserved at Paris; the Viennese Dioscorides of the 6th cent., with very remarkable miniatures, the Ilias Homeri of the codex Ambrasianus, in which are also drawings, and the Oxford Plato MS. of 895, which Professor Cobet greatly preferred to the Paris Plato.
Thus it is seen that the enterprise which Mr. Sijthoff has begun is not an ordinary one, and, as the success of the reproduction is certain, a new field of research is opened to philologists. ' |
Those who wish to read and consult the classic authors in the oldest form handed down to us, because this study is highly important for text-criticism, will be glad to buy these reproduced codices or will be glad to see that they are purchased by scientific libraries. It may also be hoped that the many librarians who, until now, were unable to send me an answer on account of administrative reasons, will eagerly avail themselves of the opportunity now offered them to purchase those excellently reproduced



MSS., if their financial means permit, and if a look at such a codex convinces them that the money asked will be well spent."
Meanwhile so much work had already been done that not only the twelve MSS. to be reproduced had been selected and, in most cases, definite agreements had been made with the owners of them, but also that the first part was quite ready, and its publication could be expected.
For this first part was chosen one of the oldest and best Greek manuscripts of the Old Testament, the codex Sarravianus, pne part of which is preserved at Leyden, another part at Paris and two pages, at St. Petersburg. It seemed appropriate, as Dr. du RieU observed, to begin with this famous Biblical MS., the three' parts of whose original, being spread over three countries could never more be brought together. Now the old original could be reproduced in its entirety in an exact phototype copy.
Already in April 1896 Dr. du Rieu had the great satisfaction of being able to communicate to his colleagues the immediate' appearance of this first part and the plans concerning the following parts, in this circular letter:
REPRODUCTION DES MANUSCRITS GRECS ET LATINS NON-TOURISTES Dr. W. N. DU RIEU
Bibliothécaire de 1'Université k Leyde.
LEIDEN, April 1896.
LEYDE, Avril 1896.
Monsieur,
L'année dernière s'était formé le projet d'une Société de Bibliothécaires pour la reproduction photographique, aux frais de la Société, des manuscrits les plus précieux.
Ce pro jet, suggéré par mon aimable collègue le D r.



H a r t w i g de la Bibliothèque de Halle, fut porté k la connaissance de tous mes collègues et un grand nombre d'entre eux applaudirent k 1'idée de fixer k Leyde le siège de cette association, sous la Direction du Bibliothécaire de son Université.
On est d'accord sur les services immenses que pourraient rendre, s'ils étaient reproduits en grand nombre, les Manuscrits Grecs et Latins de premier ordre qu'on ne peut consulter actuellement que dans les Bibliotheques memes, oü ils sont conservés avec les plus grands soins. Chaque Université, chaque Collége ou Institution scientifique pourra ainsi se procurer un exemplaire remplagant parfaitement 1'original. MM. les Professeurs s'en serviront dans leurs cours de paléographie et les savants les consulteront k domicile pour vérifier les legons douteuses.
Malheureusement des raisons d'ordre administratif empêchèrent plusieurs Directeurs d'entrer dans 1'association projetée. Je résolus d'attendre des temps meilleurs.
Voici k présent que de divers cótés messieurs les Editeurs hollandais et étrangers m'ont prié d'entreprendre 1'affaire sous ma Direction, mais k leurs risques et perils. Après müre délibération, j'ai accepté 1'offre de mon compatriote, Monsieur A. W. S ij t h o f f, 1'Editeur de Leyde, si avantageusement connu.
Convaincu de 1'immense intérêt qu' offriront des Manuscrits classiques dignement reproduits, Monsieur S ij t h o f f est jaloux d'offrir aux nombreuses Bibliothèques 1'occasion de faire 1'acquisition d'une série de 12 reproductions d après des originaux choisis dans les dépóts les plus riches de 1'Europe.
Grace aux derniers perfectionnements employés de nos jours par nos artistes, une reproduction peut durer toujours et prendra parfaitement la place de 1 original et, par la générosité de M. Sijthoff, le prix n en sera pas trop élevé.
Avant de promettre mon concours & 1'entreprenant Editeur, j'eus le plaisir de m'assurer du concours indis-



pensable de mes collègues, gardiens, dans leurs dépots scientifiques, des Manuscrits qui paraitront dans la première série. Tous répondirent de la manière la plus loyale k ma prière, me permirent de faire faire la reproduction et en outre me donnèrent la perspective d'une Introduction, nécessaire pour la connaissance approfondie de chaque Manuscrit.
J'ai 1'avantage de vous présenter le Prospectus de M. 1'Editeur: il pourra répondre aux différentes questions qui se présenteront après la lecture de ces lignes. Mais quant au choix des 12 premiers Manuscrits, il faut savoir que je n'ai voulu prendre que les plus anciens et les meilleurs des classiques, suivant 1'opinion des savants et des Bibliothécaires que j'ai consultés k eet effet.
Si cette entreprise grandiose réussit, une seconde série de Manuscrits est déjk choisie que j'aurais voulu placer dans la première. La liste de ces Manuscrits est jointe k ma lettre.
La réussite est plus que probable, 1'Editeur n'obligeant pas MM. les souscripteurs a se lier pour une série de plusieurs Manuscrits. De cette manière est écartée la difficulté administrative qui fut cause de notre échec de 1'année passée: plusieurs bibliothécaires ne purent s'associer k notre entreprise, une part des risques et des frais étant mise k leur charge.
Le prix sera proportionné au nombre des pages et k leurs dimensions.
Je me flatte de pouvoir rendre un service des plus sérieux k 1'étude des Manuscrits des classiques Grecs et Latins, k la Paléographie et a 1'Histoire de 1'Art; les savants de tous pays y trouveront, sans aucun doute, leur profit.
Dr. W. N. DU RIEU,
Directeur de la Bibliothèque de 1'Université de Leyde.



CODICES GRAECI ET LATINI
quos
duce Bibliothecae Universitatis Leidensis Praefecto Dr. GUILL. NIC. DU RIEU
autotypice edendos sibi proponit
A. W. SIJTHOFF
Editor Leidensis.
Series I.
Testamentum Vetus Graece. Codex Sarravianus-Colbertinus saec. V, cuius pars Leidae (Voss. Gr. Q. 8), pars Parisiis (Gr. 17 Colb. 3084), unum folium Petropoli in Bibliotheca Imperiali servantur. — Tischendorf, Monumenta sacra inedita. Nova collectio. Vol. III, t. 1. Omont, Fac-similés d. pl. anc. mss. gr. d. 1. Bibl. Nat. t. 2. eet.
Aeschylus. Codex Laurentïanus XXXII, 9 saec. X—XI. — Palaeogr. Society t. 83. Collezione Fiorent. t. IX.
Anthologia Graeca. Codex Palatinus saec. X—XI. Pars prior = Cod. Heidelberg. 23. Pars altera = Cod. Paris, suppl. Gr. 384. — Wattenbach, Exempla codd. Graec. t. 36. Omont, t. 33. (Cf. Centralblatt f. Bibliothekswesen IX, pag. 40).
Dioscorides. Codex Vindobonensis Gr. 5, cum miniaturis saec. VI. — Palaeogr. Soc. t. 177. eet.
Homeri Ilias. Codex Ambrosianus F. 205. Inf., cum miniaturis saec. V. — Palaeogr. Society t. 39, 40, 50, 51.
Plato. Codex Oxoniensis Bodl. Clarkianus 39 saec. IX (an. 895). — Wattenbach, Exempla t. 3. Palaeogr. Society t. 81.
Anthologia Latina. Codex Salmasianus Parisinus 10318 saec. VII—VIII. — Zangemeister, Exempla codd. Lat. t. 46.



Horatius. Codex Bernensis 363 saec. IX. — Chatelain, Paléographie d. class. Lat. t. 76, 77.
L i v i u s. Codex Corbeiensis (Puteaneus) Parisinus 5730 saec. V—VI. — Zangemeister, Exempla t. 19. Palaeogr. Society t. 31, 32. Chatelain, t. 116. eet.
Lucretius. Codex Vossianus Oblongus Leidensis Voss. L. F. 30 saec. IX. — Chatelain, t. 56, 57.
T a c i t u s. Codices Medicei Laurentiani 68, 1—2 saec. IX. — Collezione Fiorent. t. 2 et 14. Palaeogr. Society t. II. 90. eet.
V i r g i 1 i u s. Codex Mediceus Laurentianus 39,1 saec. V. — Zangemeister, Exempla t. 10. Palaeogr. Society t. 86. Chatelain, t. 66, I. eet.
31) This circular was accompanied by a letter from the Publisher, saying:
LEYDEN, April 1896.
Sir.
When it seemed certain, last year, that the scheme for bringing out reproductions of the most important ancient Manuscripts could not be carried out, much disappointment was feit in the scholastic world.
I have now the pleasure of informing you that I intend publishing a peries of such reproductions of twelve of the most ancient known MSS., of which I subjoin a list.
Dr. W. N. du Rieu, Director of the Library of our University, whose indefatigable efforts show how much he has the enterprise at heart, has expressed himself ready to undertake the responsible post of Editor.
I need not here dweil on the various risks to which the original MSS. are exposed; at any moment irreparable disaster, notwithstanding the best precautions of the Directors, might kdeprive us of them. For many years the desirability of having accurate copies of rare and precious MSS. has been generally recognised by men of leaming. I believe therefore that I 'shall be rendering a real service



to letters, and that I imay reckon on the support and appro-
bation of scholars.
As it was chiefly on financial grounds that the original proposal was wrecked, I will not ask the Curators of Libraries and Bibliophiles to subscribe for the whole series. I trust that the execution of the work and the moderate price may prove an inducement to acquire these various works
I have already made such progress in preparing a reproduction of the famous manuscript
VETUS TESTAMENTUM GRAECE Codex S a r r a v i a n u s-C o 1 b e r t i n u s Saec. V.
of which 260 pages are at Leyden, 44 in Paris and 2 at Saint-Petersburg, that I can promise the almost immediate publication of this volume with the addition of a preface by Monsieur Omont, Conservateur de la Bibliothèque Nationale at Paris. I take the liberty to enclose a doublé page as a specimen to enable you to judge of the size and execution of the work.
This work, bound in mediaeval style, will be offered at
the price of & 8.0.0.
As the number of copies cannot, for obvious reasons, be very great, it is not impossible that the price may be considerably raised after publication.
It is not my intention to adhere to the order of publication given in the following list. I reserve the right of selecting other Manuscripts if circumstances should make it desirable.
And so, commending the undertaking to your favourable consideration and energetic support,
I remain,
Yours obediently,
A. W. SIJTHOFF.



33) The printing of the phototypes of the codex Sarravianus and of the Latin introduction by Mr. H. Omont happened to suffer some delay so that only in the month of December 1896 Mr. du Rieu could write his signature on the last page. Alas! this was the last work that he was able to do for this enterprise. The 21st Dec. of this year he was seemingly well and strong, but he died in the midst of his diligent labours. He was not able to have the pleasure of seeing the first product of his unfailing and disinterested work appear. Now it appeared in Jan. 1897 as his „opus posthumum," and the writer of the introduction, Mr. Omont, conservator of the manuscript department of the Paris Bibliothèque Nationale, added to it this dedication:
„Memoriae optimi et doctissimi viri Guilelmi Nicolai Du Rieu Bibliothecae Universitatis Lugduno-Batavae Praefecti meritissimi suis et amicis praemature erepti (1829—1896)."
The publisher Sijthoff, who had the enterprise of the Codices very much at heart, also suffered a great loss through the death of Dr. du Rieu as will clearly appear from what has been said above. Yet he did not lose courage, but at once entered into an engagement with Dr. Scato de Vries, the successor of Dr. du Rieu as Leyden librarian. He had worked many years under the latter as conservator of the manuscripts at Leyden and knew the whole history of the enterprise. He thought that it was his duty to continue the work of his predecessor, who had begun it with' so much enthusiasm. He began his work with the preparation of the reproduction of the Codex Bernensis 363, about which the publisher wrote in a prospectus of the 20th. March:
LEYDEN, March 20th 1897.
Sir.
The great task of reproducing by photography a series of twelve of the oldest and most precious Greek and Latin



manuscripts, of which I had the honour to send you a prospectus last year, has so far progressed that the first volume was issued in the month of January, with the title:
Vetus Testamentum Graece. Codieis Sarraviani-Colbertini quae supersunt in Bibliothecis Leidensi, Parisiensi, Petropolitana phototypice edita. Praefatus est Henricus Omont.
The limited number of copies, and the orders I have received till this date, compel me to raise the price of this volume to $ 40.—. For the present, until the publication of the second volume, I am still able to supply the copies of the first, bound, at that price; and would urge you, if you have not yet acquired the work, to order it as soon as possible.
We regret to announce the sudden death, a few days before the publication of the first volume, of the illustrious savant who had originated the scheme and edited the work, Dr. W. N. du Rieu, the director of the University Library at Leyden. I am greatly indebted to his admirable help and disinterested encouragement, and shall ever faithfully and gratefully honour his memory.
I derive some consolation in this great loss from having secured the services of his successor in the office, Dr. S. G. de Vries, who is prepared to take up the task left unfinished by Dr. du Rieu. Dr. de Vries, having beer. for some years in charge of the celebrated collection of manuscripts in the Leyden Library, had already collaborated with Dr. du Rieu in his preparations for the publication of the work; thus, to my great satisfaction, its further production is secured on the same lines, and in the manner indicated by Dr. du Rieu.
The second volume of this first series will shortly be ready for publication, containing



CODEX BERNENSIS 363
Horatii carmina, — Ovidii Met. fragm., — Servii et aliorum opera grammatica, — S. Augustinii de dial. et de rhetor., — B e d a e Hist.
Brit. I, eet. eet. continens.
I need not here expatiate on the importance of this manuscript. It is famous as the earliest and best MS. copy of Horace, of Ovid's fragments etc.; it contains a store of mediaeval learning, and is of the highest value as throwing light on the learned efforts of Sedulius Scotus and his Irish contemporaries.
In June 1891 Dr. L. Traube wrote Ln, „O Roma nobilis" p. 56 (A paper in the transactions of the Bavarian Acad. of Sciences Cl. I, Vol. XIX, Part. II, p. 352).
„MS. Bernensis 363 is indeed so important in every respect that we fain would hope that some learned body may have it reproduced entire, by photography, and so provide alike for the preservation of this treasure and for a more general knowledge of its contents."
Hence, when I now, without the aid of any learned Society, and at my own risk, propose to publish the w h o 1 e volume in autotype, I am certain of doing a real and great service to learning, and believe I may count on your approbation and support.
I have been so happy as to secure the assistance of Professor H. H agen of Bern, as the admirably competent and learned writer of the Latin Preface which contributes in no small degree to the value of this volume.
The Codex Bernensis 363 will consist, besides the preface, of 394 pages in photography, large quarto, precisely like the specimen I have the honour of submitting to you herewith.
The price of this volume is $ 48.—, b o u n d in mediaeval style, delivered in Holland,



a price which may very probably be raised after publication. In the event of your ordering a copy may I beg you to make use of the accompanying order-form.
At the same time I venture to point out to you the great importance of this undertaking. The world is beginning to appreciate the fact that photographic reproductions of the treasures of Antiquity and of the Middle-ages are of the highest value. Such possessions are no longer the luxury of the amateur, they are almost indispensable to the critical study of palseography. Such reproductions alm st completely supply the place of the originals, and might even replace them in the event of their being destroyed, a danger against which the utmost care may fail to preserve them. By these means we at any rate secure to posterity an exact copy of what we are so fortunate as to possess. To make this publication in every way serviceable to scientific students, each volume may be purchased separately; there is no need to subscribe beforehand to the whole series of twelve Codices.
For my part, I have the whole set in view; and with the firm purpose of reproducing all the most famous and precious manuscripts, I hope for the support of all who take an interest in such matters, so that by the happy co-operation of Learning with the printer's art the work may be brought to such an issue as shall not merely satisfy the Savants of our own day, but be of value to posterity.
With regard to the volumes to be subsequently published, of which I g&ve a provisional list in my last year's prospectus, I shall have the honour to inform you later. It may however be stated at once that some of the manuscripts formerly included must be replaced by others, the owners having decided to reproduce them on their own account. This is the case, especially with the Florentine MS. of Aeschylus, which is to be brought out under the auspices of the Italian Minister of Education and the superintendence of the Bibliotheca Laurenziana.



On the appearance of the second part Dr. de Vries communicated in these words that he, as successor of Dr. du Rieu, had taken the direction of the enterprise:
Sed iam antequam in lucem emissus est is tomus
[I], dux ille et conditor totius operis Guilelmus Nicolaus Du Rieu, subita morte nobis est ereptus triste sui desiderium relinquens omnibus qui vastam eius eruditionem cum humanitate summa coniunctam admirabantur. Cui viro egregio cum ego in administranda Bibliotheca Universitatis Leidensis successissem et hoe opus ab illo inceptum suscipere et persequi meum esse duxi."
Since then the publication has been regularly continued in the manner already pointed out by Dr. du Rieu, and successively appeared:
Tom. III—IV. Plato. Codex Oxoniensis Clarkianus 39. Praefatus est T h o m. W. Allen.
Tom. V. Plautus. Codex Heidelbergensis 1613. Palatinus C. Praefatus est Car. Zangemeister.
Tom. VI. Homeri Ilias. Codex Venetus A, Marcianus 454. Praefatus est Dom. Compare11i.
Tom. VII. Tacitus. Codex Laurentianus Mediceus 68 1 et 68 II. Praefatus est Enr. Rostagno.
Tom. VIII. Terentius. Codex Ambrosianus H. 75 inf. Praefatus est E. B e t h e.
Tom. IX. Aristophanes. Codex Ravennas 137, 4, A. Praefatus est J. van Leeuwen J. f.
Tom. X. Dioscurides. Codex Aniciae Iulianae Vindobonensis Med. Gr. 1. Praefati sunt Ant. de Premerstein, Car. Wessely, los. Mantuani.
Tom. XI. Livius. Codex Vindobonensis Lat. 15. Praefatus est Car. Wessely.
Besides, the appearance has been announced of the following parts, which are all but ready:



Lucretius. Codex Leidensis Vossianus Oblongus.
Isidorus. Etymologiarum Codex Matritensis Toletanus.
Anthologia Graeca. Codex Palatinus.
The following is taken from the prospectuses sent by the publisher on the appearance of each of the parts III—XI.
I now have the pleasure of informing you that Vol. IV, Part II of:
PLATO.
Codex Oxoniensis Clarkianus 39 saec.
IX (a n. 895)
will shortly be ready.
The importance and value of this MS. is so universally recognised by classical scholars, that it is scarcely necessary to commend this photographic reproduction to their notice. The Codex Clarkianus is known through the investigations of S c hanz, Cob et and others, as one of the finest and most precious manuscripts extant of a Greek classic. Not only is it of the highest importance to the critical study of the text of the great philosopher; it is no less interesting as a palaeographical document; and is valued by the Philologist as one of the very few Greek manuscripts of so remote a period that can be dated with any certainty.
The reproduction will be prefaced by a copious introduction from the pen of Professor Thomas W. Allen, Fellow of Queen's College, Oxford, a writer eminent for learning in Philology and Palaeography.
The complete Codex consists of ^ 830 pages, and will be brought out in two nearly equal parts. To enable you to judge of the size and style of workmanship I beg to inclose a specimen-page in a size of 38 X 42 cm.
Each volume, complete and bound alike, will be offered at the price of £ 10.0.0.
In the event of your writing to order a copy I would beg you to use the accompanying form. The Codex Plato



will be forwarded in due course to the subscribers to the whole series.
Since the publication of the Codex Plato I have proceeded uninterruptedly with the preparation of other reproductions; and I take the liberty of reporting to you on the progress of the undertaking.
In the first place I beg to announce the forthcoming Volume V:
PLAUTUS.
Codex Heidelbergensis 1613 Palatinus C.
The very great value of this „Codex Decurtatus" is _so universally recognised that few words are needed to commend the reproduction to your notice. This Codex, in fact, ranks next in importance to the Codex Ambrosianus, made accessible by Studemund's Apographum, and the Codex Vetus (Palatinus B), which we may hope to see reproduced ere long by the custodians of the Vatican Lib'rary. And when these have been made public property of the learned throughout the world, by accurate reproductions, they — with the facsimiles published by Prof. Lindsay in his book „The Codex Turnebi of Plautus" — will constitute such a body of material for the critical study of Plautus as hardly exists for any other classical author.
An introduction in Latin will be prefixed to the reproduction from the pen of the Chief Librarian at Heidelberg, Prof. Zangemeister, whose well-known name is a guarantee for the value of his contribution.
You are aware that I not long since brought out the fifth volume of my collection of „Codices photographici depicti": a faithful reproduction by photography of the „Codex Decurtatus" (Heidelbergensis 1613 Palatinus C) of PLAUTUS.
I now have the pleasure of announcing the publication ere long of the sixth volume:



HOMERI ILIAS Codex Venetus A, Marcianus 454.
The importance of this famous Codex, no less valuable for the light it throws on the Homeric text than for the marginal notes and Scholia, justifies me in the hope that I shall find great encouragement when I place the MS. within reach of the learned world by an accurate reproduction.
I have obtained the requisite permission through the personal good offices of Heer Dr. Sc. de Vries, in communication with the Librarian of the Marziana Library, Venice, Dr. S. Morpurgo, and with his Excellency Signor B a c c e 11 i, Minister of Public Instruction, strongly, supported by their Excellencies M. de Beaufort, Minister for Foreign Affairs, and the Ambassador from the Netherlands at Rome, to all of whom I tender my respectful thanks.
The great Italian savant Dom. Comparetti has done me the honour of writing a Latin preface to this volume, thus enhancing its scientific value in no small degree. The printing of the preface, as well as of the plates, is so far advanced that the publication may be promised for January 1901. The style will correspond with that of the former volumes; the size of the page being 54 X 36 cm. I shall be happy to forward a specimen on application, free of charge.
In my former circular, announcing the publication of Codex Venetus A, Marcianus 454, HOMERI ILIAS, I had the pleasure of informing you that the photographic negatives were already prepared of the Codices Laurentiani Medicei 681 et 68 11.
I am now able to promise the immediate publication of Vol VII of this important series:
Pars I. TACITUS Codex Laurentianus Mediceus 68 I Pars II. TACITUS Codex Laurentianus Mediceus 68 II



These celebrated Medicean MSS., the recognised authority for TACITUS Annales et Historia, are of such high value to critical students of ancient texts that it is unnecessary to insist on the importance of this reproduction. I 'may congratulate myself on being able to include so remarkable a work in this series, and to announce at the same time that its value will be enhanced by an Introduction in Latin from the pen of Prof. Enrico Rostagno, the distinguished Curator of the Laurentian Library, already finished for Part I and to be written, I hope, for Part II: Cod. Med. 68, I et II.
Since the publication, early last year, of Part VII of the Codices Graeci et Latini, a longer time has elapsed than I could have wished; but this was unavoidable and not till now could I announce the appearance of Part VIII:
TERENTIUS.
Codex Ambrosianus H. 57 inf.
which will be ready for issue in the month of March. The cause of the delay I wish to explain to you.
While preparing the photographic plates of the illustrated Codex at M i 1 a n, I received information that the Directors of the Vatican Library intended to bring out a reproduction of the illuminated MS. (3868) of Terentius, which is preserved there. In agreement with Professor B e t h e (Basle) I decided to avail myself of this singularly favourable coincidence, and to produce a work of the highest value, not only for the study of the Ambrosian MS., but also for that of illuminated copies of Terentius, in general.
To this end a number of photographs were made from all the known MSS. of Terentius; including the well known Paris Codex (7899); the two M.S.S. in Leiden (Voss. L. Q. 38. and Lipsii 26); the Codex at Oxford (Bodl. Auct. F, 2.13; Bentle's Codex Dunelmesis) hitherto quite un-



known as to the illustrations; the Codex Basilicanus (794) at Rome, and others. Some of the most remarkable miniatures in the famous Codex Vaticanus have also been reproduced, in anticipation of the complete work.
By the aid of the various reproductions we shall be enabled to present the Codex Ambrosianus in the most complete and perfect manner by publishing from other MSS. the plates which are missing in the Ambrosianus. An introduction will also deal with the whole series of illustrated MSS.; Professor Bethe, who is writing the Latin Preface to this volume will not restrict himself to a discussion of the Codex Ambrosianus, but will extend his observations to a general review of all the illustrated MS. copies of Terentius known to exist, and of the contributions to our knowledge of the antique stage which may be derived from them. This will give the volume a special and general interest to students of philology, palaeography, archaeology and the history of art. Opportunity will for the first time be afforded for following the development of the most famous group of illuminated MSS. faithfully reproduced and exactly described.
Although in my last circular I held out the prospect of the early publication of the next volume of this Series, various circumstances have hindered its accomplishment. It is therefore with particular pleasure that I am now able to announce the issue of
ARISTOPHANIS Codex Ravennas
to appear shortly as the ninth volume of this well known Series.
This M.S., with the Codex Venetus, forms the basis of the text of the Plays of Aristophanes, as well as of the Scholia. As much as the Codex Venetus this Codex is worthy of being made generally accessible by photography for the learned studies, more than till now was



possible to very few persons, by studying the original M. S. itself, carefully preserved at Ravenna. About five years ago Dr. S. G. De Vries himself went to Italy, to take the necessary steps preliminary to reproducing both — or at least one of — these M.S.S. by photography. Meanwhile the Archaeological Institute of America and the English Society for the Promotion of Hellenic Studies had formed similar plans for the reproduction of one of these Codices. These Societies, with distinguished liberality, placed themselves in communication with us to discuss the matter, and as a result it was agreed that they conjointly selected the CODEX VENETUS, while the CODEX RAVENNAS was to be published in my Series. The former Codex, as my readers know, came out last year. Unforeseen circumstances prevented the publication of the CODEX RAVENNAS at an earlier date. Now it is with great satisfaction that I am able to announce in the same time that Dr. J. van Leeuwen of the Leyden University, the distinguished editor of the Aristophanes with Commentaries issued by me, has consented to write an introductory chapter in Latin for this volume. Thus, by the co-operation of so many persons, ample and perhaps unsurpassably complete material is provided for the critical study of Aristophanes.
The intention I had of publishing the tenth volume of the first series during the course of the year 1904, has unfortunately not been realised. Now, only, thanks to the mastering of difficulties, which the large compass, and the reproduction of the beautiful originals involved, has it become possible for me to announce that the tenth volume will very shortly appear, viz.



DIOSCURIDES
Codex Aniciae Iulianae picturis illustratus, nunc Vindobonensis Med. Gr. I.
Moderante IOSEPHO DE KARABACEK,
Bibliothecae Palatinae Vindobonensis Praefecto,
praefati sunt
ANTONIUS DE PREMERSTEIN, CAROLUS WESSELY, IOSEPHUS MANTUANI.
Accedit tabula lithographica.
The famous and richly-illustrated „D ioscurides Codex" of the Imperial Vienna Library, which was painted and written in Byzantium about the year 512 A. D. for the Imperial Princess Anicia Juliana, is the oldest testimony for the text and illustrations of the so-called alphabetic Recension of the dioscuridical Description of Plants, to which also fragments of Crateuas and Galenos have been added, and also for a series of smaller writings richly illustrated with pictures of animals and vegetables: the so-called „Carmen de viribus herbarum", and four paraphrases of didactic poems on natural history of Nicander, Oppian and Dionysius. The number of M. S. S. derived from him is extraordinarily great.
It is however not only from a text critical standpoint, that this Codex, whose fate in the course of ages was extremely peculiar, is of high importance. It is above all an unique contribution to the History of Botany, partly on account of its hitherto almost unknown pictures of plants, of which a large portion of the originals date back to the first century B. C., and partly on account of the accumulation of botanical synonym from all the ancient languages of the Mediterranean basin.
The Codex which can be dated exactly, contains inva-



luable material for Paleographists who derive principally their knowledge of Uncial writing of the beginning of the sixth century from it.
The art-historian will be chiefly interested in the miniatures on the first pages of the volume which are examples of the best antique tradition and which are now for the first time reproduced in their actual size, besides he will study with pleasure the pictures of plants, which have influenced the illustrations of botanical works for centuries.
For students of Mediaeval Greek and for Orientalists, the list of low-Greek, Arabic, Turkish and Persian plantnomenclature which has been added to the original at a later date, is of the highest importance.
The plan of photo-mechanically reproducing this valuable M. S. (already in 1763 it had been planned to reproduce its illustrations by copper-engravings) was repeatedly considered about the year 1896, but only as late as 1904 a facsimile of the voluminous M. S. in perfect reproduction could be made, because the efforts of Dr. De Vries and the kindness of the directors of the Vienna Library had surmounted all external difficulties.
The difficulties which the reader is likely to encounter are ably discussed by various specialists in the introduction, and the publishers make use of this occasion to thank Hofrat v. Karabacek and his collaborators for valuable contributions.
Dr. v. Premerstein will treat of the history and exterior form of the M. S. and of its copies; Prof. K. W e s s e 1 y of the Palaeography; D r. J. M a n t u a n i of the questions relating to the History of Art, and Hofrat v. Karabacek of the Oriental Plant-nomenclature.
By virtue of this cooperation of the most competent authors a really monumental work has been accomplished, worthy of the attention of all scholars, especially of Philologists, Paleographists, Art-historians; and, above all, of Historians, Botanists and Zoologists.
At the international botanical Exhibition which was held



al Whitsuntide 1905 in Vienna, the original M. S. as well as the proofs of the Facsimile provoked the admiration of the most competent visitors.
In consequence of the very great damage caused by fire in the Libraries of Rome and Turin, the officials of pro minent libraries, such as those of Paris and Brussels etc., offered the precious M.S.S. of their collections for photographical reproduction; and the Governments concerned were so kind as to give their consent.
The Librarian's Congress held at Chicago in the year 1895, recognised the preservation of rare M.S.S. by means of photographic reproduction, as in the highest degree desirable. This desire has been in part accomplished by my undertaking, and I point with gratitude to the support received from a large portion of the scientific world. I however regret the fact that one or two of the libraries that had promised yearly contributions to Dr. Du Rieu have witheld them; and to them I turii in the first place to ask for support in my efforts, is I think I have proved, that my efforts are approved by all leading library-officials.
In view of the importance of like publications to all scientists, I kindly but urgently beg of all corporations such as Academies, Art- and Ethnological Museums, Libraries, and all others interested in the reproduction of rare and important M.S.S., the only way by which unica can be saved from unexpected total loss, to support my undertaking.
They can do so, by subscribing, if not to the whole series at least to a part thereof, and thus enable me to continue my costly publications.
In consequence of unforeseen circumstanoes I was unable to publish in the early part of this year the Codex Lucretii Oblongus as I had originally intended to. I now have pleasure in announcing that it will appear in the spring of 1907.
In order to avoid a prolonged delay between the publication of vol. X and the next one,



| i
LIVIUS
Codex Vindobonensis Lat. 15 praefatus est Carolus .Wessely
which is in active preparation, will be pulished very shortly afterwards as vol. XI.
The high importance of this Unial-codex of the 5th century requires but a passing mention. As the many learned studies and numerous editions testify, vide Kopitar, Madvig, Vahlen, Giltbauer, Heraeus a. s. o. this Codex forms the only authentic source for the 5th Decade (11. 41—45) of Livius' historical work. The Codex has been for many years one of the greatest treasures of the K. K. Hofbibliothek in Vienna and was formely in the possession „Theuberti episcopi de Dorostat" (Wijkbij-Duurstede) and afterwards preserved in the Monastery of Lorsch (Codex Laurisharmensis). In 1531 Frobenius in Basle published therefrom, copied by Grynaeus, the Editio Princeps, with a preface of Des. Erasmus. This first research on the Codex was followed by many other studies and the Manuscript has been critically examined by various experts not only with regard to its text, but also as the basis of several palaeographical studies. Hence its fame. An exact reproduction in phototypie wil be welcomed by the many philologists and palaeographists who recognise its value to them in their researches.
I have to acknowledge my indebtedness to Professor C .WESSELY of Vienna for the Latin introduction to this edition and to put on record the pleasure I feel in being entrusted with the publication of this result of his many years labour.
It is needless to insist on the usefulness of those reproductions. Scholars can use these with the same results as if they consulted the original Manuscripts. I need only refer, and that with good reason, to the value of the reproductions with regard to the preservation of the



irreplacable originals. Bad as it was, the fire in the Turin Library would not have been so disastrous to students if reproductions of its many priceless treasures were in existence. The support of learned Societies etc. is therefore looked to with confidence.
The value of reproducing works of this nature was forcibly pointed out at the Chicago Congress of Librarians in 1895 and the congratulation of the authorities for works previous published by me lead me to believe that I shall have the hearty support of the learned classes in this undertaking.
The work of photographing the originals is not without difficulties as it is impossible to remove them from their place, but I must say that experts who have seen some early copies of the work are enthusiastic about the exactness with which the Manuscript has been reproduced.
The price has been fixed as low as possible in order to bring this Codex within the reach of as many Libraries etc. as possible.
The edition is of course limited and owing to the very heavy cost of reproduction a second 'edition cannot be expected. Learned Societies etc. will therefore do well to inscribe their names without delay. On this occasion I draw attention to the fact that it is not at all necessary to subscribe for all the different volumes, but that each volume may be purchased separately.
It is with a feeling of security that I embarked upon this enterprise, counting on the approval and support of all lovers of Philology and Palaeography. Their help has been generously given in the past and I look forward with confidence to the steady continuation of this series of Codex-reproductions. I shall be glad to hear from any Academy, Museum, Library etc. wishing to purchase the whole series or single volumes.



It appears from the list given here that not all the MSS. mentioned in the original prospectus of April 1896 have been reproduced. Some were replaced by others. The publisher, indeed, had, in this prospectus, expressly reserved to himself the right tö do so.
Sometimes it was also necessary to choose another codex, in the first place because the MSS., originally selected, were already reproduced under the direction of the library which possessed them; this was the case with the Aeschylus Laurentianus, the Ilias of the Ambrosiana, the Anthologia Latina and the Livius at Paris All these have since been published (in their original size or in smaller form) by the different directions of libraries. Manuscripts of great value took their place in the Leyden enterprise; the Ilias cum scholiis at Venice, the Ravennas of Aristophanes, the Terentius Ambrosianus and the Vienna Livius.
In addition to the here mentioned eleven parts of the great series of the Codices, a special series of smaller supplementary parts began to appear from the year 1902. The publisher wrote about these, among other things, in a prospectus in Oct. 1902.
„In die grosse Serie der CODICES GRAECI ET LATINI photographice depicti sind und werden photographische Reproductionen der ael testen und bedeutendsten Handschriften klassischer Autoren aufgenommen, Handschriften, die so interessant sind, dass sie verdienen, in vollstandig naturgetreuen Abbildungen allen Gelehrten, wo sie auch wohnen, zuganglich gemacht zu werden und zugleich für die Nachwelt bewahrt zu bleiben, selbst wenn durch unglückliche Zufalle, die ursprünglichen Manuscripte beschadigt würden oder verloren gingen.
Ausser diesen umfangreichen Handschriften besteht jedoch noch eine grosse Anzahl anderer, die nur in Fragmenten erhalten geblieben sind, oder wovon allein Teile aus besonderen Gründen in erster Linie Interesse verdienen (z. B. wegen der eigenartigen Schrift, der Miniaturen etc. etc.). Dieselben würden in das Kader meiner grossen Unternehmung nicht passen, miissen jedoch trotz-



dem als von der grössten Wichtigkeit für die wissenschaftlichen Forschungen erachtet werden.
Derartige Fragmente, oder Teile von Handschriften verdienen aus diesen Gründen ebenfalls, durch Reproductionen, Gemeingut der gelehrten Welt zu werden, wodurch ein gründliches Studium derselben erst möglich gemacht wird.
Um auch hiermit der Wissenschaft soweit wie möglich dienstbar zu sein, habe ich nach reiflicher Ueberlegung mit Herrn Dr. S. G. de Vries den Entschluss gefasst, unter seiner Leitung als Supplement-Teile der grossen „Codices-Ausgabe", einige derartige Stücke reproduciren zu lassen.
Vorlaufig sind dazu auserwahlt:
1) Hieronymi Chronicorum codex Floriacensis uncialis, wovon Fragmente in den Bibliotheken in Leiden, in Paris und in der Vaticana bewahrt werden (cf. Alfr. Schoene, Die Weltchronik des Eusebius in ihrer Bearbeitung durch Hieronymus, S. 26 ff.).
2) Les Miniatures du Psautier de SaintLouis. Manuscrit de Leyde.
Jeder Reproduction soll eine aus der Feder eines durchaus befugten Gelehrten stammende Einleitung vorangehen. Für die Hieronymus-Fragmente durfte ich dieselbe von Herrn Professor Dr. Ludwig Traube in München bereits in Empfang nehmen.
Für den Fall ich für dieses neue Unternehmen bei dem gelehrten Publicum die erhoffte Unterstützung finde, und dadurch im Stande sein werde, dasselbe fortsetzen zu können, ist es meine Absicht eine
NEUE SERIE VON SUPPLEMENTBANDEN neben meiner grossen Ausgabe der „Codices" herauszugeben. Die vielfachen Beweise von Wertschatzung mir durch Fachkenner bezeugt für mein grosses Unternehmen, gibt mir das Vertrauen unerschrocken weiter fortzufahren, auch ohne Aussicht auf financielle Vorteile. In meinen Bestrebungen auf diese Art der Wissenschaft nützen



zu können, bin ich gerne zu Opfern bereit. Aber ohne die Unterstützung des kauffahigen Publicums wiirde eine derartige Unternehmung nicht möglich sein. Ich gestatte mir desswegen Ihre Mitwirkung bei diesen Ausgaben zu erbitten in der angenehmen Hoffnung, dass auch Sie bereit gefunden werden, mein Streben zu unterstützen.
Jeder „Supplement-Teil" wird apart abgegeben."
In this series of supplementary parts have been publishsd since Oct. 1902:
S u p p 1. I. Hieronymi Chronicorum Codices Floriacensis uncialis fragmentae Leidensia Parisina, Vaticana. Praefatus est L. Traube.
Suppl. II. Les Miniatures du Psautier de Saint-Louis. Manuscrit de Leyde. Edition phototypique. Préface de M. H. Omont.
Suppl. III. Der illustrierte Latin size Aesop in der Handschrift des Ademar. Codex Vossianus Lat. O. A. 15. Fol. 195—205. Einleitung und Beschreibung von Dr. Georg. Thiele.
Suppl. IV. Taciti Germania et Dialogus de oratoribus, Suetonii de viris illustribus fragmentum Codex Leidensis Perizonianus phototypice editus. Praefatus est Georgius Wissowa.
Suppl. I. Alpertus Mettensis de diversitate temporum und de Theodorico I, episcopo Mettensi. Codex Hannoveranus 712 A in phototypischer Reproduction. Einleitung von Dr. C. Pijnacker Hordijk.
On the appearance of these supplementary parts the following was also said in a prospectus:
III. Juni 1905.—Jetzt erscheint als Supplement III: Der illustrierte lateinische Aesop in der Handschrift des Ademar, codex Vossianus Lat. oct. 15 fol. 195—205.
Diese im Anfang des XI. Jahrhunderts im Kloster St.
E. 4



Martial bei Limoges vom Presbyter Ademar von Chabanais geschriebene Handschrift ist für palaeographische und textkritische Forschungen von grossem Werte. Sie enthalt fol. 195 ff. den „lateinischen Aesop", der zu einem unter dem Namen Romulus bekannten Komplex von lateinischen Fabelbiichern gehort, welche für das Fortleben der antiken Fabel bis auf Lafontaine, von hervorragender kulturgeschichtlicher Bedeutung sind.
Der Wert dieser Fabelsammlung wird ganz besonders erhöht durch die beigefügten Illustrationen, hier zum ersten Male vollstandig reproduciert, welche überall antike Traditionen zeigen und für archeologische Untersuchungen grosses Interesse haben. Noch kürzlich wurde dieses an einem Beispiel von Prof. Benndorf in Jahreshefte d. österreich. archaolog. Inst. Bd. V. bewiesen.
An die Fabeln schliesst sich unmittelbar eine eng damit verbundene Sammlung von Rechenratseln von stark humoristischer, zuweilen volkstümlicher Farbung, welche bisher noch ganz unbeachtet geblieben sind und jetzt vollstandig publiciert, allgemeines Interesse beansprechen werden.
In der Einleitung hat Herr Dr. Thiele die Handschrift sehr ausführlich beschrieben und die phototypischen Tafeln nach jeder Richtung hin erklart. Somit wurde diese Publication von hoher Bedeutung sowol für philologische und archaologische als auch für kulturgeschichtliche Studiën.
IV. Juli 1907. — lm Jahre 1902 wurde für das Studium der Textkritik der A n n a 1 e s und H i s t o r i a e des TACITUS gesorgt, durch die phototypische Reproduction der beiden berühmten Florentiner Handschriften. Jetzt habe ich mich entschlossen, in derselben Weise auch die kleineren Schriften des TACITUS erscheinen zu lassen, namentlich die Germania und den Dialogus de oratoribus welche zusammen mit SUETONII fragmentum de viris illustribus in verschiedenen Abschriften überlieferl sind.



Ich bin nun heute im Stande das Erscheinen einer phototypischen Reproduction des bekannten Codex L e idensis Perizonianus Q. 21, welcher unter jenen Abschriften eine ganz hervorragende Stellung einnimmt und in vielen Beziehungen überaus wichtig ist, ankündigen zu können.
Noch kürzlich (1905) hat Herr Prof. Wissowa gezeigt, wie mit der erstmaligen Benützung dieser Handschrift durch L. T r o s s (1841) eine neue Epoche für die Textkritik jener Schriften beginnt. Und nicht nur für die Textkritik ist dieser Codex von hoher Bedeutung. Er bildet auch das Fundament für die Feststellung der Ueberlieferungsgeschichte, durch seine Randnotizen von J o v i anus Pontanus herrührend, die über die Auffindung des Archetypus unserer Handschriften durch E n o c h e von A s c o 1 i Aufklarung geben.
In palaeographischer Hinsicht ist der Codex Perizonianus interessant, als Specimen einer von den italienischen Humanisten nach alten Mustern nachgeahmten antiquarischen Schrift, welche noch wenig bekannt wurde. Eine ganz ahnliche Schrift findet sich in dem durch Baehrens u. A. bekannt gemachten Wolfenbütteler Tibull-Codex, aus dem ich eine Seite in phototypischer Reproduction meiner jetzigen Publication beifügen durfte.
Eine ausführliche lateinische Einleitung für die vollstandige Reproduction des Codex Perizonianus hat Herr Prof. G. Wissowa gütigst verfasst, wodurch der Wert meiner Publication in hohem Masse vermehrt wurde. Den Tacitus-Forschern wird sie doppelt willkommen sein, weil darin zum ersten Male das Resultat eines genauen Studiums der vor Kurzem in I e s i neuaufgefundenen Handschrift verwertet ist.
V. Marz 1908. — Die Kronik von ALPERTUS METTENSIS unter dem Titel ,,D e diversitate Temporu in", nach den Anweisungen die der Autor selbst darüber gibt, ist von grossem Interesse für die Geschichte der Niedeilande im Mittelalter,



Sie ist nicht allein die alteste der Kroniken aus dem Mittelalter, die auf uns gekommen sind und in den Niederlanden zusammengestellt wurden, sondern sie enthalt wichtige historische Mitteilungen, sowohl über die politischen Zustande in der Gegend von Nymwegen und Emmerich, als überhaupt über das spatere Gelderland; ferner über Utrecht und seine Bischöfe aus dem Anfang des llen Jahrhunderts, über die alteste Geschichte Hollands, über die letzten Einfalle der Normannen, über die Grafengeschlechter, die ungefahr um das Jahr 1000 in diesen Gegenden in den Vordergrund traten und zum Teil zu Grunde gingen.
Diese Handschrift, welche in der Königl. Bibliothek it Hannover aufbewahrt wird, aus dem llen Jahrhundert stammend, die hier in getreuer Reproduction vorliegt, hat auch einen hohen palaeographischen Wert, und ist desshalb besonders interessant für alle Philologen und Historiker, die dem Studium der mittelalterlichen Palaographie obliegen.
Aus diesen Gründen is die Reproduction dieser berühmten Handschrift vom höchsten Interesse sowohl vom Standpunkte der deutschen Geschichtsforscher als Palaographen, denn alle die oben genannten Landesstriche gehörten, wie allbekannt, damals zuna deutschen Kaiserreiche.
Ausserdem weisen wir noch darauf, dass diese Reproduction auch darum wichtig ist, weil die existirende kleinere Ausgabe der Kronik von Dederich (1859) — ganz anders als die für Privatgelehrte nur schwer zugangliche in den Monumenta Germaniae historica — an Zuverlassigkeit viel zu wünschen übrig lasst und zudem sehr veraltet zu nennen ist.
Eine ausführliche Einleitung für die vollstandige Reproduction des A1 p e r t u s hat Herr Dr. P ij n a c k e r Hordijk gütigst verfasst, wodurch der Wert dieser Publication in hohem Masse vermehrt wurde."
The difference between these Supplements and the larger Codices consists chiefly in that the introductions to the first series are



generally shorter and need not be written in Latin. The writers are free to use their own language or to choose the language which seems the most desirable for each part.
More supplementary parts are in preparation. It will soon be possible to make further announcements concerning them.
Besides these two series of the „Codices" and the Supplementary parts there was begun an other reproduction of great magnitude, which, it is true, does not exactly belong to this enterprise, but yet is connected with it and, in a sense, originated from it; at least it would never have been brought about but for the Leyden enterprise.
When, namely, the negotiations concerning the permission for the reproduction of the Homer-Codex (Tom. VI) were being carried on at Venice, the librarian there, Mr. S. Morpurgo, declared that he was not unwilling to collaborate, but that he, on his part, wanted to avail himself of this opportunity to enter into relations with the Dutch publisher. He wanted to obtain from the latter what he had as yet been unable to obtain from Italian publishers. The execution of his long-cherished plan of reproducing in the full splendour of their colours the delightful miniatures of the Breviarium Grimani, one of the greatest treasures of the library of S. Marco and one of the most famous illuminated MSS. of the Flemish school, had still been prevented by the enormous expense connected with such a publication. NoW this seemed to him a good opportunity of gaining the Leyden publisher to his plan.
The latter was not deterred by the great expense, but he would not form a resolution before making sure that it would be possible to produce, by means of colour-photography, facsimiles that could satisfy the highest requirements. He applied to the well-known art institute of Mr. Alb. Frisch at Berlin, who had already been highly successful in this regard. When, after numerous experiments the latter had proved to be able to produce something excellent, it was decided that, under the joint direction of Messrs. Morpurgo and de Vries, the whole of the extensive



manuscript should be published in phototype, but that all the miniatures and the most remarkable marginal embellishments should be reproduced by a photo-mechanical process.
Of this magnificent work, which will be complete in twelve parts, as many as ten parts have already appeared since 1904. A detailed introduction was to have been written for it by Mr. Morpurgo. However, he was transferred from Venice to Florence, and in his place Dr. Giulio Coggiola, sub-librarian of the library of S. Marco, has charged himself with the task of writing this introduction.
III.
Now that so much has appeared which was promised in the year 1896 and the future appearance of different other reprodutions is sure, the moment seems good to take a survey of all that has been accomplished since the first circular of April 1896.
In doing this the publisher wants to acknowledge that be has reason for great satisfaction and thankfulness. He is rejoiced at the work already done, is assured of the excellency and the beautiful appearance of his publications, and has received numerous proofs of sympathy and appreciation from many highly esteemed experts. That disappointments have been met with is almost a matter of course, but they have rarely given the publisher reason for complaint. It it is true that the sale of the parts already appeared often remained far beneath his expectation, and also beneath the estimate of Mr. du Rieu, who was known to be a very prudent and modest man. It often proved to be difficult even to get some indemnification for the expenses caused by the printing of some part. But of this the publisher has never complained, nor will he ever complain. He has always had in view the great service which he believed himself able to render to science, by executing the praiseworthy plans of Dr. du Rieu



at a time when they seemed to have to De all Dut given up. ne was perfectly aware that such an enterprise, regarded only from a financial point of view, could not have been justified, and pecuniary gain could never be his aim in this matter. He will declare himself perfectly satisfied if he can bring about these beautiful and useful publications without suffering too great a loss by them. Properly speaking, the only real disappointment was caused by many public libraries in America which are known to be rich. For the reproductions of MSS. were in the first place destined for those libraries, which, however well provided in other respects, are very poor in ancient MSS. and are bound to remain so. And after all that had been said and written at the Congress of Librarians at Chicago in 1893, it seemed not too unreasonable to expect that in America, of all countries, many purchasers of the „Codices" would be found. This, however, has proved not to be the case. Pitiably small is the number of copies of each part which is supplied to American buyers; so small indeed, that it would really have become impossible to continue the enterprise, if this ill-success had not been counterbalanced by some support from an other quarter, especially from the German University-libraries. Together with the many favourable, sometimes even flattering, criticisms which appeared in periodicals or were sent to the publisher privatim, there were often heard complaints, expressed in a more or less friendly manner, not with regard to the intrinsic value of the publications, but concerning the high price of them. Sometimes it was said that it was a pity that the matter had not been taken in hand üy the Librarians themselves, according to the original plan of Messrs. Hartwig and du Rieu; for then the same things could have been had at a much lower price. However, those who reason thus, misjudge the real nature of the enterprise and the correctness of the computations of Dr. du Rieu. He had, it is true, declared himself ready to let the subscribers have, every year, the reproduction of a MS., for a fixed yearly contribution of, say, 100 Marks; but he never meant, or could mean, that he would supply, for this sum, all that has now appeared in this enterprise.
As a matter of course the subscribers would not have receive'd



more tnan couid be produced for their contrïbutions, after deduction of various necessary expenses for administration etc. l)
And now everyone who is in any way acquainted with such things will be sure to see that, for 100 M. a year and with ^ small number of subscribers, this could certainly not have been very much; at any rate it would have been considerably less than the eleven parts of the „Codices" and five Supplementary parts that have now appeared.
Those who have supported this enterprise by subscribing to the whole series and have helped to make it possible, must surely perceive that they have received value for their money, and that they have not paid more in proportion than would have been necessary in other circumstances.
The effort of the publisher has always been, not to make the prices higher than was necessary to guard against too great a loss. There are also different parts, among those which have appeared, which are really very cheap, and which, produced by the librarians themselves, could not have been published cheaper. If, on the other hand, some other parts have been dearer, this was owing to different circumstances, and the case would have been the same with other people.
In the first place these circumstances are to be found in the different conditions made by the different directions of libraries, in regard to the requests for permission to reproduce one of their manuscripts, The conditions are very different in the different countries; in some very fair and easy to fulfil, in others very difficult and unsuitable, and in some they could not possibly be complied with.
Sometimes one went even so far as to refuse the permission; partly from a certain feeling of national pride, which would not allow foreigners to bring about what one could do oneself, partly from some incomprehensible fear that the value of the originals would diminish if reproductions could be bought, or that fewer
') Already Dr. Hartwig said in his first plan of 1893 (see page 6): „If a manuscript could not be published completely in any one year, it should be distributed over several years.'*



foreigners would come to towns which, by their possession of ancient MSS., now attracted many foreign scholars.
Many obstacles were thrown in the way of the enterprise in the very country which is so rich in the most precious old manuscripts, Italy. Directly after the first circular of April 1896 had been sent, the director of the Laurentian Library at Florence, which had been thought of in the first place, wrote a letter (May 8th. 1896) which gave little hope for the future.
In this letter (printed in the Bollettino delle pubblicazioni italiane No. 249 of May 15th 1896 p. XXXV) he said that the Florentine Aeschylus-codex, mentioned in Dr. du Rieu's circular, should not be allowed to be reproduced by him, because the reproduction had already been begun by the library itself, (at the expense of the Italian Ministry for public instruction), and was almost finished: a fact which of course, Mr. du Rieu did not know when making his plans. This letter also stated that permission for the reproduction of other Laurentian MSS. (if asked) should not be given to foreigners because the library itself would provide such an edition.
.... „e il Virgilio e i due Taciti saranno dopo VEschilo, pubblicati sotto la mia direzione, per cura della Laurenziana,*) la quale non intende concedere ad estranei la riproduzione dei propri codici."
A fuller explanation of this was given in an article „Le reproduzioni dei codici e il Dott. du Rieu", which the same librarian wrote for his „Rivista delle Biblioteche e degli Archivi, VI p.p. 188—190." In this he stated all sorts of objections against Dr. du Rieu's plans and said:
„Si tratta di codici, per dirla con frase da al-
bergatori, non touristes; o perchè se non debbono
1) The reproduction of the Virgil .per cura della Laurenziana" thus announced in May 1896 has not yet appeared. In 190a appeared the .due Taciti" in pho* totype, as vol. VII, I —II of the .Codices" (Leiden, A. W. Sijthoff).



viaggiare i codici, non debbono invece muoversi e viaggiare per istudiarli quelli che li ricercano? Facciasi pure, trattandosi di codici non touristes, una questione da albergatori. La gente che viene e studia in una cittk, le reca qualche vantaggio con la sua permanenza, e la compensa in certo modo dell' ospitalit^ concedutale e delle larghezze offerte agli studi. Ora, se i manoscritti per i qual la gente dotta compie tali pellegrinaggi, si riproducessero tutti, verrebbe a poco a poco a diminuire e a cessare cotesta affluenza di visitatori studiosi, e la cittk ne avrebbe col tempo un notevole danno. Perció è giusto ch . se le riproduzioni debbon farsi in pro degli studi e dei dotti lontani che non voglion muoversi da casa loro, è giusto, conchiudiamo, si facciano tali riproduzioni dagl' istituti cui i codtci appartengono, per modo che essi istituti possano ricavare qualche utile da questa quasi alienazione o prestazione de' piü preziosi tesori, onde essi erano frequen-
tati e ricercati dai visitatori stranieri" 
,,Noi salutiamo con gioia questo risveglio degli studi piü severi e piü nobili; ma quanto al concedere la riproduzione de' nostri cimeli facciamo le piü doverose riserve" ....
These opinions and declarations of the director of one of the richest depots of manuscripts of Italy were not encouraging for the young enterprise of the Codices. But the hope of success in Italy was not given up, and later it fortunately appeared that two of the principal libraries — the Ambrosiana and Vaticana werë more liberal and were ready to help and co-operate and also did really help very much. However the opinion of the Laurentian director seemed to have a great influence on the other Italian libraries.
In the end, after much trouble and personal visits, the two Tacitus MSS. at Florence, the Venetian Homer and the Aristophanes of Ravenna were photographed, and the permission for the reproduction of the first three manuscripts was officially given, and in a very friendly manner, by thet Italian Minister for public instruction, His Excel. Dr. Baccelli.



But when the work was going to( be done, and it appeared necessar> not only tö have and to keep the photographic copies, but also the glass negatives, the directions whom this concerned put forward such difficult conditions, that it seemed as if the whole enterprise were going to fail, and only the firm intention of causing these manuscripts to appear made it possible toi publish the reproductions in spite af the conditions. These conditions, however, made the enterprise very difficult, and made the prices much higher than was planned in the beginning; for example, besides the sixteen presentation copies of the Tacitus reproductions themselves, three complete sets of all the six parts, which had appeared before, had to be given gratis to the Laurentian Library at Florence.
As the permission to reproduce MSS. was not always easy to get, it was often necessary to make more or less considerable sacrifices, which, owing to the limited number of subscribers, made the prices higher. This fact seems to be overlooked by some who complain of the high price of a publication. If they assert that the prices could be much lower, they moreover base this assertion on information given them by phototypists, which is not always correct. In calculating their prices those phototypists generally start from the assumption that they can keep the object to be reproduced for a long time in their own studio, and that they can do the photographing there, together with their other work. This, however, is almost always impossible in the case of these MSS. They are on no account allowed to leave the place where they are preserved. Generally, expensive journeys or installations are necessary for making the photographs, or, in some cases, the Directors of the libraries appoint one photographer, who is well-known to them, and who is the onlty one allowed to do the work. He can ask a higher pricé for his work than would have to be paid if there were free competition, or if there were a contract for work during many years.
If all these circumstances are taken into account, it will be seen that it was not possible to charge smaller prices than at present; at least, if we are to work independently, without



direct or indirect assistance from Governments, scholars' societies, or other sources. The endeavour of the publisher of the Codices will always be to produce as much as possible at the lowest price, without subsidy, and he believes that his chances of success will be ever impro.ving according as he can show, by the work that has already appeared, what he wishes to do, and also what he is able to produce, and according as his relations with the different libraries and the excellent artstudios are getting more extensive.
Whether it may yet become possible, according to the original plans ot Messrs. Hartwig and du Rieu, to sell such reproductions for a much lower price to libraries, as paying members of a Society, is to be doubted. Only a short time ago this matter was thoroughly discussed at a „Congrès international pour la reproduction des manuscrits, des monnaies et des sceaux," held at Liège in August 1905. The plan of forming such a Society was discussed there, and this was owing to the observations, published before, of an American scholar, Mr. Ch. Mills Gayley, who wrote among other things: x)
„One of the most important drawbacks to scholarship in America is a lack of the original manuscripts and the unique folios and quartos necessary to historical, literary, and scientific research. These are jealously guarded in the libraries of the Old World, and cannot be removed from them for love or money; consequently our professors, students, and scholars of all kinds find it necessary to travel thousands of miles, and to spend thousands of dollars, for the purpose of consulting priceless manuscripts or early printed books.
The consideration of this fact led me some eight years ago to inquire at the British Museum, and the Bodleian Library, Oxford, whether permission might be granted to an American institution to reproduce by photography facsimiles of their unique literary materials" 
l) See Actes of the Congrès, Bruxelles, Misch & Thron, 1905, p. 206



not onl.y American, but also foreign investi-
gators and institütions of learning would henceforth be able to obtain (at a reasonable price) duplicates of whatever originals were in a demand sufficiënt to warrant their reproduction. Such systematic reproduction of unique manuscripts and rare printed works would materially benefit the civilization ,of the future, both because it would disseminate what is now confined in one or two centres of learning, and because it would obviate, through this multiplication of copies, ,the possible loss of scientific and literary material by the destruction in part or whole (as formerly at Alexandria, or recently at Turin and the Vatican) of any ,one of the famous Old World libraries. The possession of one or more facsimiles would also enable the library possessing the original to preserve it from wear and tear" 
But it seems that the great difficulties connected with such an enterprise. and the reasons why the first plans of Mr. Hartwig and Mr. du Rieu miscarried,, were not sufficiently known to Mr. Gayley. At least, he did not speak of them. His plans were discussed at the Liège Congress, but this did not lead to any result worth mentioning, in spite of the written recommendation which was given by a scholar of great name and authority, Mr. Sal. Reinach of Paris.
He1) complained very much about the high prices which some publishers ask for reproductions and demanded that the different librarians should co-operate to attain the result that no publication should cost more than 2 francs per leaf („feuillet"). For such' a price many an „avide éditeur" would certainly be willing to work without finantial or other support. At Leyden, at least, the work is done much cheaper. The eleven parts of the Codices which have now appeared in the Leyden enterprise consist of 2598 folios and cost altogether not more than 3569.50 francs; namely :
') Cf. Actes du Congrès etc. p. 56.



Numter of folios: Price in francs:
Tom. I 153 200
II 197 250
„ III—IV 421 500
V 238 281.50
VI 321 387.50
VII 1-2 242 375 VIII 149 250
IX 194 281.50
X 490 762.50
XI 193 281.50
Total: 2598 3569.50
Instead of two francs each folio of these codices costs only about 1.371/* francs.
The parts have all been supplied at the given price in twelve costly half-morocco bindings, and in the price are also included the detailed introductions in which scholars of great reputation have communicated the results of their researches.
It thus appears that, also as regards the price, this Leyden enterprise can answer all reasonable demands. If this be generally recognized, and if many may be found willing to support it and to make its continuation possible by subscribing to a Series of twelve „Codices", or at least by buying some of the parts appeared, much may still be done in this respect.
It will be a great satisfaction to the publisher to be able to continue his enterprise, and to be thus working in the interests of science.















Apud A. W. SIJTHOFF Lugdini Batavorum (Leiden)
prodierunt:
Prof. H. van Herwerden, Euripidis Helena, recognovit et
adnotavit. Accedunt analecta tragica M. 4.50
Aristophanis Pax, recognovit et adnotavit.
Pars prior (Praefatio, textus cum scholiis metricis et
adnotat. critica) ^ 5 
Pars altera (Commentarius et indices) n 7.50
Lexicon Graecum suppletorium et dialecticum . . „ 28. —
Appendix ad Lexicon „ IO.—
Collectanea critica, epicritica, exegetica sive Addenda
ad Theodori Kockii opus Comicorum Atticorum fragmenta. „ 8.—
Vindiciae Aristophaneae „ 3.50
Prof. H. van Herwerden et Prof. J. van Leeuwen J.f.,
Aristotelis quae fertur A0HNAIRN TTOAITEIA „ 6. 
Prof. J, J. Hartman, De Terentio et Donato commentatio . „ 6.—
Epistola Critica (continens annotationes ad Odysseam) „ 3.50
De Emblematis in Platonis textu obvii ,, 4.—
Caroli Lévèque libellus aureus de Plutarcho mentis
medico B 2.50
Genestetiana, Petri de Genestet earmina selecta, ligat. „ 3.40
Decennium Poeticum. . n 2.25
Prof. K. Kuiper, Studia Callimachea I. De hymnorum I—IV
dictione epica 6.—
Studia Callimachea II. De Callimachi Theologumenis , 4.—
Prof. C. M. Franken, M. Annaei Lucani Pharsalia. Adiecta sunt specimina phototypica Ashburnhamensis, Montepessu-
lani, Vossiani primi. Vol I (Iibr. I—V) „ 8.—
Vol. II (libr. VI—X). Adiectae sunt Lucani vitae
antiquae g.60
Dr. P. C. Molhuysen, De tribus Homeri Odysseae codicibus
antiquissimis „ 4.20
Dr. J. Vürthelm, De Aiacis origine, cultu, patria. De Ama-
zonibus. De Carneis. De Telegonia „ 6.50



i