The Project Gutenberg eBook, Studies in Literature and History, by Sir
Alfred Comyn Lyall

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Title: Studies in Literature and History

Author: Sir Alfred Comyn Lyall

Release Date: June 30, 2008 [eBook #25937]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII)

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STUDIES IN LITERATURE AND HISTORY

by the Late

SIR ALFRED C. LYALL

P.C., G.C.I.E., K.C.B., D.C.L., LL.D.

London
John Murray, Albemarle Street, W.
1915

PREFACE

In the Second Series of his _Asiatic Studies_ the late Sir Alfred
Lyall republished a number of articles that he had contributed to
various Reviews up to the year 1894. After that date he wrote
frequently, especially for the _Edinburgh Review_, and he left amongst
his papers a note naming a number of articles from which he considered
that a selection might be made for publication.

The present volume contains, with two exceptions, the articles so
mentioned, together with one that was not included by the author.

A large number of Sir Alfred Lyall's contributions[1] to the Reviews
deal, as might be expected, with India--with its political and
administrative problems, or with the careers of its statesmen and
soldiers. He appears, however, to have regarded such articles as not
of sufficient permanent value for republication, and his selection was
confined almost exclusively to writings on literary, historical or
religious subjects. He made an exception in favour of an essay on his
old friend Sir Henry Maine; but as the limitations imposed by the
publisher made it necessary to sacrifice one of the larger articles,
this essay was, with some reluctance, excluded. It dealt chiefly with
Maine's influence on Indian administration and legislation; and would
more appropriately be included in a collection of his writings on
India, should these ever be published.

While Indian official subjects have been excluded, readers of the
earlier 'Studies' will recognise that many of the