Читать книгу Quintus Servinton - Henry Savery - Страница 3

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The original edition of Quintus Servinton is extremely rare, only three copies being listed in Ferguson's Bibliography. These are held by Dr. W. Crowther, the Mitchell Library, and the Public Library of Tasmania. This reprint follows the text of the original in all its vagaries of style, spelling, and punctuation. The only modifications made are corrections of a few obvious misprints; ot, for instance, has been silently changed to to. Students and others interested in our literature now have ready access to the text of the first Australian novel as printed just over a hundred and thirty years ago.

Any student who works in the field of early Tasmanian printing, especially where Henry Savery is concerned, is essentially dependent on the pioneer work of Dr. E. Morris Miller. My own debt to him, as writer and man, is very considerable, and I most gratefully acknowledge it. This reprint is by his permission dedicated to him.

Other Tasmanians to whom my warm thanks are due are Dr. W. Crowther, Dr. C. Craig, Mr. E. R. Pretyman, and the officers of the State Library of Tasmania and the Tasmanian Archives—Messrs. B. W. Wray, P. Eldershaw, G. Stilwell, and Miss M. Milne.

The officers of the Mitchell Library have most willingly given that help to which students have been so long accustomed; the Trustees of the State Library of Victoria have granted permission to make use of four Savery letters in the Calder Papers; the National Library at Canberra has provided on inter-library loan its microfilms of early issues of The Times (London); the officers of the University of Queensland Library—and here I must especially thank Mr. Spencer Routh—have helped me in various ways with cheerful readiness.

Dr. Russel Ward of Armidale has generously drawn on his unrivalled stores to answer certain queries; Sir J. A. Ferguson graciously allowed me access to a rare edition of The Newgate Calendar in his possession; and I am grateful to Professor A. C. Cawley for a patient reading of the biographical introduction.

Overseas help has come from Mr. W. S. Haugh, City Librarian of Bristol, whose unworried competence and long patience have saved me weeks of work. To Mr. F. L. Hill of Paignton, Devon, a special debt is due for his kindness in providing a transcript of certain parts of Mary Wise Savery Hawkins's copy of the John Savery genealogical manuscript. The editors of the Western Morning News (Plymouth) and the Western Times and Gazette (Exeter) were kind enough to publish in their columns letters requesting information.

Both editor and publisher are grateful to the Mitchell Library for permission to use a microfilm of its copy for the preparation of this reprint.

I have, finally, to thank the Senate of the University of Queensland for granting me research funds for work on this project.

—C.H.