Quoniam multi pseudo-prophetae exierint; et uns autres:
Quod benient in nobissimis diebus illusores ... dicentes, Ubi est
promissio? et encores aus parolles que dist li Signours meismes: Vide
ergo ne lumen quod in te est tenebrae sint.
Commant Messires Marcs se partist de l'ysle de Bretaingne et de la
proyere que fist.
"Et pourquoy vous en feroie-je lonc conte? Si print nef Messires Marcs
et se partist en nageant vers la terre ferme. Or Messires Marc Pol
moult ama cel roiaume de Bretaingne la grant pour son viex renon et
s'ancienne franchise, et pour sa saige et bonne Royne (que Diex gart),
et pour les mainz homes de vaillance et bons chaceours et les maintes
bonnes et honnestes dames qui y estoient. Et sachies tout voirement que
en estant delez le bort la nef, et en esgardant aus roches blanches que
l'en par dariere-li lessoit, Messires Marc prieoit Diex, et disoit-il:
'Ha Sires Diex ay merci de cestuy vieix et noble royaume; fay-en
pardurable forteresse de liberte et de joustice, et garde-le de tout
meschief de dedens et de dehors; donne a sa gent droit esprit pour ne
pas Diex guerroyer de ses dons, ne de richesce ne de savoir; et
conforte-les fermement en ta foy'...."
A loud Amen seemed to peal from without, and the awakened reader started
to his feet. And lo! it was the thunder of the winter-storm crashing among
the many-tinted crags of Monte Pellegrino, - with the 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.
[16] Vol. ii. p. 316 (see also i. 348).
[17] Vol. ii. pp. 318-319.
ORIGINAL PREFACE.
The amount of appropriate material, and of acquaintance with the mediaeval
geography of some parts of Asia, which was acquired during the compilation
of a work of kindred character for the Hakluyt Society,[1] could hardly
fail to suggest as a fresh labour in the same field the preparation of
a new English edition of Marco Polo. Indeed one kindly critic (in the
Examiner) laid it upon the writer as a duty to undertake that task.
Though at least one respectable English edition has appeared since
Marsden's,[2] the latter has continued to be the standard edition, and
maintains not only its reputation but its market value. It is indeed the
work of a sagacious, learned, and right-minded man, which can never be
spoken of otherwise than with respect. But since Marsden published his
quarto (1818) vast stores of new knowledge have become available in
elucidation both of the contents of Marco Polo's book and of its literary
history. The works of writers such as Klaproth, Abel Remusat, D'Avezac,
Reinaud, Quatremere, Julien, I. J. Schmidt, Gildemeister, Ritter,
Hammer-Purgstall, Erdmann, D'Ohsson, Defremery, Elliot, Erskine, and many
more, which throw light directly or incidentally on Marco Polo, have, for
the most part, appeared since then.
