XX OBITUARY NOTICES OF MEMBERS DECEASED. 



been reissued in successive editions, in each case with revision, 

 eliminations and additions. Many of his pamphlets, articles in jour- 

 nals and other minor works, have involved much original investi- 

 gation of the same kind as that made for his larger works. The 

 extent of this investigation is indicated by thousands of references 

 to works of the most technical and recondite character, in at least 

 seven languages ; to manuscripts belonging to remote periods, pub- 

 lished in obscure localities, often by almost unknown authors, and 

 difficult of access. In addition to these printed references are num- 

 berless pencilled notes, comments and other evidences of use scat- 

 tered through the books in his library. 



In order to carry out his work as he had planned it, especially his 

 later volumes, it was necessary to make use of records in European 

 depositaries which were still unprinted. The University of Oxford 

 by special resolution ordered that an}- manuscripts in the Bodleian 

 library needed by Mr. Lea in his work should be sent to America 

 for his use ; but in the case of archives this was obviously impos- 

 sible. He was disinclined to go to Europe, and his means enabled 

 him to make use of another alternative. This was to have copies of 

 these manuscripts made by copyists there and sent over to him. Of 

 course much was thus obtained of which he could make no use, but 

 much was invaluable, and had never before been used by any scholar. 

 Some two hundred bundles of manuscripts are now on his library 

 shelves, all of which have been amiotated throughout with his fine 

 handwriting, and marked as having been copied, excerpted from, 

 and otherwise utilized or discarded. Only two years before his 

 death he arranged with j\I. Salomon Reinach to have a mass of 

 material for his "History of Witchcraft" copied at the Cabinet de 

 MSS. in Paris, and this he was engaged in examining, as it reached 

 him, during the last weeks of his life. 



The great volume of Mr. Lea's accomplishment, combined with 

 his practice of having unprinted material copied and sent to him 

 from Europe, has given rise to a strange misconception of his habits 

 of work. One of his critics suggested that Mr. Lea, being a man 

 of wealth, might have secured the services of others ; another that 

 his numerous references to obscure sources pointed to his possession 

 of a large body of detailed quotations which could be used by him 



