Page:An introduction to Roman-Dutch law.djvu/11

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Preface
vii

Amongst well-known text-writers my references are principally to Voet, Van Leeuwen, Van der Keessel and Van der Linden. The citations of Van der Keessel's Dictata are from manuscript copies in my possession, which I have reason to believe conform substantially to the Leyden exemplar. For the rest, my studies have been partly conditioned by the contents of my own library. It will probably be thought that my citations are on the whole sufficiently numerous. Circumstances have prevented me from referring as often as I should have wished to many valuable articles in the South African Law Journal. I must be content with a general mention of that excellent review.

In the spelling of Dutch words I have as a rule followed the vagaries of my original. In citing Grotius I have usually quoted the first or second edition of the Inleiding. This accounts for such strange forms as ‘muirbezwaring’, ‘inbalcking’, &c.

For the law of South Africa and Ceylon I have made use of the works mentioned above as well as of Messrs. Bisset & Smith's Digest of South African Case Law. For the law of British Guiana I have received valuable help from Mr. W. J. Gilchrist, Barrister-at-Law of Gray's Inn, who holds an important position in the Civil Service of the Colony. The notes from his hand have in many cases been indicated by the letter ‘G’ between square brackets; but my indebtedness goes beyond what is thus formally acknowledged. My thanks are due also to my former pupil Mr. E. Draper, of the Inner Temple, for many useful references to South African cases.

I have to express my gratitude to the Delegates of