In every collection of books there are some which get more or less put on one side. If there is one subject which is more austere than any other, even in a library like the ‘Bibliothèque catholique des sciences religieuses’, it is surely textual criticism. The most cultured minds do not always derive great pleasure from delving into the intricacies of this science. Some professional exegetes happily make do with a mere passing knowledge of it. It is something left to bookworms! Textual criticism is a stern character to whom much homage is paid but with whom close dealings are not often sought. But it also has a habit of paying back those who neglect it: their work always bears the stamp of lazy imprecision. ‘Latin without tears’ or ‘Simple steps in Greek’ may be all right but ‘Textual criticism made easy’ is an impossible challenge and we make no claim to have carried it out.

It has to be said that certain factors have not made the task any easier. There has been the unavoidable necessity of restricting the book to a limited length and of making it available to a wide public. To be honest, there are no gleanings for the specialist in this popularised work other than a few rather unusual ideas which it will amuse him to criticise.