Although the author is fully aware of the gaps and obscurities contained in this small volume, he has, nevertheless, resisted a temptation to add to it the results obtained from the investiga tions of the last five years, fearing that thus its unified and docu mentary character would be destroyed. He accordingly repro duces the original text with but slight modifications, contenting himself with the addition of a few footnotes. For the rest, it is his ardent wish that this book may speedily become antiquated to the end that the new material brought forward in it may be universally accepted, while the shortcomings it displays may give place to juster views.