The experiment has involved an extensive and tedious correspondence; many of the persons whom I have had to consult being ex-pupils of the Propaganda, residing in very distant countries; more than one beyond the range of regular postal communication, and only accessible by a chance message transmitted through a consul, or through the friendly offices of a brother missionary. For the spirit in which my inquiries have been met, I am deeply grateful. I have recorded in the course of the narrative the names of many to whom I am indebted for valuable assistance and information. Other valued friends whom I have not named, will kindly accept this general acknowledgment. There is one, however, to whom I owe a most special and grateful expression of thanks—his Eminence the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster. From him, at the very outset of my task, I received a mass of anecdotes, recollections, and suggestions, which, besides their great intrinsic interest, most materially assisted me in my further inquiries; and the grace of the contribution was enhanced by the fact, that it was generously withdrawn from that delightful store of Personal Recollections which his Eminence has since given to the public; and in which his brilliant pen would have made it one of the most attractive episodes. Several of the autographs, also, which appear in the sheet of fac-similes, I owe to his Eminence. Others I have received from friends who are named in the Memoir. CONTENTS. PREFACE, pp. v-vii. INTRODUCTORY MEMOIR. ANCIENT PERIOD:— History of Linguists little known—Legendary Linguists—The Jews—The Asiatics—The Greeks—Mithridates—Cleopatra—The Romans—Prevalence of Greek under the Empire—The Early Christians—Decline of the Study—Separation of the two Empires—The Crusaders—Frederic II—The Moorish Schools in Spain—Council of Vienne—Roderigo Ximenes—Venetian travellers—Fall of Constantinople—Greeks in Italy—Complutensian Polyglot, pp. 5-18. MODERN PERIOD:— I. _Linguists of the East._ Dragomans—Genus Bey—Jonadab Alhanar—Interpreters in the Levant—Ciceroni at Mecca—Syrian Linguists—The Assemani—Greeks—Armenians—The Mechitarists, pp. 18-24. II. _Italian Linguists._ Pico della Mirandola—Teseo Ambrosio—Pigafetta—Linguistic Missionary Colleges—The Propaganda—Schools of the Religious Orders— Giggei—Galani—Ubicini—Maracci—Podestà—Piromalli—Giorgi—De Magistris—Finetti—Valperga de Galuso—The De Rossis, pp. 25-34. III. _Spanish and Portuguese Linguists._ Fernando di Cordova—Covilham—Libertas Cominetus—Arias Montanus—Del Rio—Lope de Vega—Missionaries—Antonio Fernandez—Carabantes— Pedro Paez—Hervas-y-Pandura, pp. 34-41.