This book might never have come into existence had it not
been for a controversy of considerable proportions over Shak-
spere's handwriting. The book indeed owes something to the
very scholars with whom its author has been most at odds, for
it was this group of English scholars who first called our atten-
tion to the necessity of a close knowledge of Elizabethan hand-
writing and printing for the sound editing of Shaksperian and
other Elizabethan texts. To a cautious American like my-
self, it seemed that their enthusiasm led them a little too fast
and far in applying their new-found knowledge to the solution
of Shaksperian problems, and I was among the first to welcome
Dr. Tannenbaum's penetrating and sometimes devastating
criticism. But he would, I know, join with me in expressing
appreciation of the brilliant initiative which has already opened
the way to significant developments in textual study.

The need of a compact and well illustrated manual on Eliza-
bethan handwriting has become obvious to all literary students,
and they will thank Dr. Tannenbaum for the enormous labor
and pains which he has given to their service. I believe that
the book should also prove useful to students in other fields of
the Renaissance and especially to all concerned with documents
of that period.

I may venture to add a personal word in admiration of the
author's extraordinary energy and versatility. He is a prac-
ticing physician, specializing in mental disorders, and yet for
many years he has also been a Shaksperian student and col-
lector and a highly qualified expert in handwriting. When
certain theories were advanced as to Shakspere's handwriting,
Dr. Tannenbaum naturally joined eagerly in a research which
gave free play for both of his avocations. He was able to make
most important contributions to the study of Elizabethan manu-
scripts because he was the first to apply to them the technique
of modern experts in handwriting. No doubt such application

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