The first three of these lectures on ‘Textual and Literary Criticism’ were delivered on 20–2 January 1958 in my capacity as Sandars Reader in Bibliography for 1957–8 at Cambridge University. The fourth was given on 23 January 1958 in London before the Bibliographical Society. Since this latter was written very shortly after the completion of the initial series when my mind was much occupied with the general matter, its subject developed naturally from the Sandars lectures and is perhaps best considered in relation to them. I am indebted, therefore, to the Council of the Bibliographical Society for permission to print this fourth paper here rather than separately in the Society's Transactions.

A few excisions made in deference to the patience of my hearers have been restored for the more leisurely reader, and the opportunity has been taken to add some discursive notes to the basic text. Various informalities and acerbities more suitable for speech than for print have been altered; otherwise, the lectures are offered here as in their occasional oral form without other special preparation.

Although the specific subjects of the four discourses present something of a mixed bag, an underlying rationale is intended to be present. Literary criticism is viewed as directly dependent upon expert textual criticism, and some horrid examples are cited to illustrate what can happen when it chooses to operate independently.