No doubt this remarkable monument will be made the subject of many
valuable monographs in the future, which will greatly elucidate passages
now obscure. But it was thought that the interest of the subject
warranted an immediate issue of an English translation, which would place
the chief features of the Code before a wider public than those who could
read the original. The present translation is necessarily tentative in
many places, but it is hoped marks an advance over those already
published.

Dr. H. Winckler's rendering of the Code came into my hands after this
work was sent to the publishers, and I have not thought it necessary to
withdraw any of my renderings. In some points he has improved upon
Professor Scheil's work, in other points he is scarcely so good. But any
discussion is not in place here. I gratefully acknowledge my obligations
to both, but have used an independent judgment all through. I hope
shortly to set out my reasons for the differences between us in a larger
work. A few of Dr. Winckler's renderings are quoted in the Index, and
marked--Winckler's tr.

C. H. W. JOHNS.

CAMBRIDGE,
_January_ 31, 1903.




THE TEXT OF THE CODE