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ii present Keeper of the Printed Books in the British Museum, was requested to edit such a volume, which he obligingly undertook to do, though with much hesitation, in consequence of the increasing pressure of his important duties in the Museum. After translating and annotating the voyage of Nicolò de' Conti and seeing it through the press, he felt compelled by the claims of his present responsible position to give up a task which he would otherwise gladly have completed, but which he could not continue with justice to the members of the Society or to himself. In the spring of the present year, the Honorary Secretary of the Society volunteered to complete what Mr. Jones had left undone, a task which, although laborious, has been performed under the advantage of not having in any way to interfere with the labours of his predecessor.

While thus called upon to refer to the contributors to this volume, the editor cannot deny himself the satisfaction of recording in this place the following exalted testimony to the generous conduct of his lamented friend, Count Wielhorsky, after his return to Russia. The following autograph letter