HISTORY OF THE TRANSMISSION OF ANCIENT BOOKS TO MODERN TIMES; TOGETHER WITH THE PROCESS OF HISTORICAL PROOF; OR, A CONCISE ACCOUNT OF THE MEANS BY WHICH THE GENUINENESS OF ANCIENT LITERATURE GENERALLY, AND THE AUTHENTICITY OF HISTORICAL WORKS ESPECIALLY, ARE ASCERTAINED; INCLUDING INCIDENTAL REMARKS UPON THE RELATIVE STRENGTH OF THE EVIDENCE USUALLY ADDUCED IN BEHALF OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. BY ISAAC TAYLOR. VERI SCIENTIA VINDEX. A New Edition, Revised and Enlarged. LONDON: JACKSON AND WALFORD, 18, ST. PAUL’S CHURCHYARD. 1859. LONDON: PRINTED BY RICHARD CLAY, BREAD STREET HILL. PREFACE. Two books which appeared more than thirty years ago, and which have been long out of print, are brought into one in this volume. The second of them--the “Process of Historical Proof,” was, in fact, a sequel to the first--the “History of the Transmission of Ancient Books to Modern Times.” In now reprinting the two, as one, it has not been difficult to give continuity to the whole: this has been effected, partly by removing from each volume portions which seemed to be of secondary importance, and to be not closely related to the principal intention of the work; and partly by introducing several entire chapters of new material; and by the insertion of additional paragraphs throughout. What is new in this volume occurs chiefly in the mid portions of it, and at the end. In the course of this thirty years, the labours of critics, combined with the researches of learned travellers, have thrown much light upon all parts of the subject which is compendiously treated in this volume. No reader who is fully informed in this department will need to be told that, within the limits of a volume such as this, nothing more than the most concise mention of these recent labours and researches could be attempted: they are referred to only in the way of suggestion and of sample. At the first, the two books above mentioned were intended to find a place in a course of general educational reading; and it is only as coming within the range of a purpose such as this, that the Reprint is now offered to the public.