The Tragedy of Europe [antikvár]

PREFACE Opinions differ as to the value of " contemporary " history, but the present volume does not profess to be more than a chronicle of events. As such it may be found convenient for purposes of reference. The draft of the book was completed before i left London, but i have been compelled to revise the proofs in isolation and exile, deprived of access to a Reference Library, and even to my own. Nor have i had the advantage, usually enjoyed, of a revision of the proofs by a friendly critic. Every care has been taken to eliminate errors: if any have, nevertheless, crept in, i can only crave the indulgence of critics and the sympathy of readers who like myself have suffered a fate only too common to-day. I have not burdened pages intended for the general reader by more than a minimum of footnotes. But, although I have made no parade of the apparatus of original research, the book has been written, as far as possible^ from primary sources: Blue Books, White Papers, Texts of Treaties, Parliamentary Reports (Hansard), the Diaries and Letters of leading actors in the drama, &c. I have also drawn upon my personal knowledge, acquired at first hand, of persons and events. Among the list of useful books (p. 221 f.) I have, I hope, included all the secondary authorities to which I am indebted. The debt is a heavy one; but, even heavier, is the debt I owe to previous works of my own. Upon these I have drawn freely, even to the point of incorporating an occasional paragraph, and not a few sentences the form of which I have not been careful to vary, simply for the sake of variety. In particular, I have drawn upon: The Eastern