_A Word to Literary Men_ (Vol. iii., p. 161.).--Perhaps MR. KENNETH R. H.
MACKENZIE will allow me to add the following as a _rider_ to his
suggestion:--
"Even after all the labours of the Prussian scholars," says Dr. Arnold,
"much remains to be done towards obtaining a complete knowledge of the
number, and still more of the value, of the Greek MSS. now existing in
Europe. It is not easy to know how many MSS. of any given writer are
extant, where they are to be found, and, above all, whether from their
age and character they are worth the trouble of an exact collation. A
labour of this kind cannot be accomplished by individuals; but the
present spirit of liberal co-operation, which seems to influence
literary as well as scientific men throughout Europe, renders its
accomplishment by the combined exertions of the scholars of different
countries by no meals impracticable. It would be exceedingly convenient
to possess an alphabetical list of all the extant Greek and Latin
writers, with a _catalogue raisonnee_ of the MSS. of each; and if such
a work were attempted, there is little doubt, I imagine, that in point
of number a very large addition would be made to the stock of MSS.
already known. What the result might be in point of value is another
question; still it is desirable to know what we have to trust to; and
when we have obtained a right estimate of our existing resources in
manuscripts, we shall then be better able to judge what modern
criticism will have to do from its own means towards bringing the text
of the ancient writers to the greatest possible state of
perfection."--Preface to _Thucydides_, vol. iii. page iv. 2d edit.