In offering a critical analysis of the writings of Cornelius van Bynkershoek (1673-1743) - the eminent Dutch jurist known traditionally as a positivist', in the history of international law - this work goes beyond an analysis of the classics' per se to clarify some basic questions concerning the history of international law, such as the relationship between legal doctrine and state practice and the reconsideration of methodological differences among historical figures like Grotius, Pufendorf, and Vattel. It also covers some fundamental problems of international law generally, such as the...