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 xii COMPLETE PEERAGE peerage law, their absence may safely be attributed in large meas- ure to his immense knowledge and watchful eye. logist will know something of the capacity of this writer, but of the extent to which the present Editor is indebted to him they can have no knowledge, and he finds it quite impossible to over- state his sense of obligation. The special articles which he has re-written are duly acknowledged in their place, but these do not represent a tithe of the assistance which he has rendered, for he has scrutinised every word, nay every comma, of the proofs with a minuteness which could not have been surpassed. Besides the above many others have aided in a greater or less degree by sending communications, and the Editor desires to express his hearty thanks to H. W. Forsyth Harwood, Editor of The Genealogist, H.J.EUis, of the British Museum, W. H.B.Bird, D. G. Warrand, Sir James Ramsay, Major Francis Skeet, H. Stuart Moore, Josiah Wedgwood, M.P., W.F. Carter, A. Crawley-Boev- ey, and to all who have helped in and looked kindly on this enterprise. The list of those to whom the Editor is under obligation must not be concluded without mentioning his publisher, H. A. Doubleday, whom zeal has led, and knowledge has enabled, to make many valuable suggestions for the improvement not only of the form but of the matter of these pages. It will be seen therefore that, if the Editor should be found to have attempted something greater than he was capable of accomplishing, he will not be able to plead in excuse the lack of competent and generous helpers. Whatever may be thought of the work on other grounds, he is satisfied that it will not deserve the praise that has been accorded to other peerages, namely : — " The best thing in fiction that the EngHsh have ever done. " Nor is it only to men but to books also that the Editor must proclaim himself a debtor. J. H. Round's recently published Peerage and Pedigree has proved most useful. The Scots Peerage has already been mentioned, but to this should be added Ruvigny's 'Jacobite Peerage^ Crisp's quaintly named but useful Visitations, Burke's and other annual Peerages, and similar works as to which want of space has prevented acknowledgment in the cases where they have been laid under contribution. (*) See note on previous page.
 * George Wentworth Watson. Those who read the Genea-