Wind raging as it
knows how to rage here in sight of the Isles of Aeolus, and the rain
dashing on the glass as ruthlessly as it well could have done, if, instead
of Aeolic Isles and many-tinted crags, the window had fronted a dearer
shore beneath a northern sky, and looked across the grey Firth to the
rain-blurred outline of the Lomond Hills.
But I end, saying to Messer Marco's prayer, Amen.
PALERMO, 31st December, 1874.
[1] It would be ingratitude if this Preface contained no acknowledgment of
the medals awarded to the writer, mainly for this work, by the Royal
Geographical Society, and by the Geographical Society of Italy, the
former under the Presidence of Sir Henry Rawlinson, the latter under
that of the Commendatore C. Negri. Strongly as I feel the too generous
appreciation of these labours implied in such awards, I confess to
have been yet more deeply touched and gratified by practical evidence
of the approval of the two distinguished Travellers mentioned above;
as shown by Baron von Richthofen in his spontaneous proposal to
publish a German version of the book under his own immediate
supervision (a project in abeyance, owing to circumstances beyond his
or my control); by Mr. Ney Elias in the fact of his having carried
these ponderous volumes with him on his solitary journey across the
Mongolian wilds!
[2] I am grateful to Mr. de Khanikoff for his especial recognition of
these in a kindly review of the first edition in the Academy.
[3] Especially from Lieutenant Garnier's book, mentioned further on; the
only existing source of illustration for many chapters of Polo.
[4] [Merged into the notes of the present edition. - H. C.]
[5] See page xxix.
[6] Writing in Italy, perhaps I ought to write, according to too prevalent
modern Italian custom, Polo Marco. I have already seen, and in the
work of a writer of reputation, the Alexandrian geographer styled
Tolomeo Claudio! and if this preposterous fashion should continue to
spread, we shall in time have Tasso Torquato, Jonson Ben, Africa
explored by Park Mungo, Asia conquered by Lane Tamer, Copperfield
David by Dickens Charles, Homer Englished by Pope Alexander, and
the Roman history done into French from the original of Live Tite!
[7] Introduction p. 24, and passim in the notes.
[8] Ibid., p. 112.
[9] See Introduction, pp. 51, 57.
[10] See Title of present volumes.
[11] Which quite agrees with the story of the document quoted at p. 77 of
Introduction.
[12] Vol. i. p. 64, and p. 67.
[13] I.e. 1306; see Introduction, pp. 68-69.
[14] The form which Marco gives to this word was probably a reminiscence
of the Oriental corruption failsuf. It recalls to my mind a Hindu
who was very fond of the word, and especially of applying it to
certain of his fellow-servants. But as he used it, bara failsuf, -
"great philosopher" - meant exactly the same as the modern slang
"Artful Dodger"!
[15] See for the explanation of Karma, "the power that controls the
universe," in the doctrine of atheistic Buddhism, Hardy's Eastern
Monachism, p. 5.
