Notes on the Text

The readings in this collection are presented in chronological order of author’s birth date and date of writing, with some exceptions where several selections by one author overlap with those of another. When necessary to distinguish dates in ancient history, we use the secular designation B.C.E. (Before the Common Era), rather than “B.C.” (Before Christ). The book is divided into four parts: Ancient and Medieval Writings, Seventeenth- and Eighteenth-Century Writings, Nineteenth-Century Writings, and Twentieth-Century Writings.

For each writer, we have included an introduction to the selections and a brief list of suggested readings and citations of the sources from which the selections are drawn. Citations within the introductions or the texts of readings are given in “social science” format (author, year: page), with the full reference listed in the “Sources and Suggested Readings” for the individual writer or in the bibliography at the end of the volume.

To maximize space for readings, we have omitted most discursive notes by the authors of the selections and have refrained from adding explanatory notes of our own. Where explanations or translations of unfamiliar terms seemed essential, we have included them in the introductions or in square brackets in the text. Some brief footnotes and citations by the authors have been retained in the selections, including citations to the Judeo-Christian Bible, which are given in standard form (book, chapter number: verse).

In order to convey a better sense of the ideas and style of each writer, we have avoided very brief or abbreviated excerpts in favor of longer excerpts or full text of the selections. In general we have attempted to follow exactly the text as given in the source rather than to modernize spelling, punctuation, and usage. In some cases this has meant adoption of forms and spellings rather strange to many readers today, but which we hope give a truer flavor of the writer than would modern language. In a few cases, we have taken the liberty of breaking up very long paragraphs in order to give emphasis to points which might otherwise be obscured.

The development of this collection has been a collaborative work, but each of the coeditors has undertaken primary responsibility for individual selections and for the brief introductions to the readings. The initials at the end of each of these introductions, BAC for Berenice A. Carroll or HLS for Hilda L. Smith, indicate the responsible editor for each of the selections and introductions.