The preface of a book often provides a convenient place in which the author can tender his apologies for any inadequacies and affords him the facility to excuse himself by reminding the reader that his art is long but life, or at least the portion of it in which he has the opportunity for writing books, is short. I, too, am deeply conscious that I have undertaken a task which I could not hope to complete to my own satisfaction but I offer, in self- defence, the observation that, inadequate though it is, there is no other book extant, so far as I am aware, which provides the information...
The preface of a book often provides a convenient place in which the author can tender his apologies for any inadequacies and affords him the facility...