
History of the Transmission of Ancient Books to Modern Times (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. Together With the Process of Historical ProofBy Isaac TaylorLength12h 17m
About this audiobook
History of the Transmission of Ancient Books to Modern Times is a lucid nineteenth-century inquiry into how the writings of antiquity survived the hazards of copying, loss, translation, and scholarly mediation. Taylor explains the material passage from manuscript culture to modern readership, weighing evidence, textual corruption, and the principles by which historical authenticity is judged. Written in a clear, argumentative prose, the book belongs to the Victorian tradition of evidential scholarship, where classical learning, philology, and religious apologetics often met. Isaac Taylor was an English essayist, historian, and theologian whose intellectual formation combined Nonconformist religious seriousness with wide antiquarian and literary interests. His concern with the credibility of inherited texts reflects a broader cultural moment in which biblical criticism, classical studies, and historical method were being vigorously reassessed. Taylor's practical intelligence and moral earnestness shaped a work designed not merely to inform, but to discipline readers in the habits of historical proof. This book is especially rewarding for readers interested in textual transmission, the history of scholarship, and the foundations of historical knowledge. Though some details reflect its age, Taylor's central questions remain vital: how do we know the past, and why should ancient books command modern trust?
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.
- Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.
Audiobook details
GenreHistory
Length12 hrs 17 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateDec 7, 2023
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1Introduction
14CHAPTER XI. EXCEPTIONS TO WHICH THE TESTIMONY OF HISTORIANS, ON PARTICULAR POINTS, MAY BE LIABLE.
2History of the Transmission of Ancient Books to Modern Times
15CHAPTER XII. CONFIRMATIONS OF THE EVIDENCE OF ANCIENT HISTORIANS, DERIVABLE FROM INDEPENDENT SOURCES.
3PREFACE.
16CHAPTER XIII. GENERAL PRINCIPLES, APPLICABLE TO QUESTIONS OF THE GENUINENESS AND AUTHENTICITY OF ANCIENT RECORDS.
4CHAPTER I. INTENTION OF THE PRESENT ARGUMENT.
17CHAPTER XIV. RELATIVE STRENGTH OF THE EVIDENCE WHICH SUPPORTS THE GENUINENESS AND AUTHENTICITY OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES.
5CHAPTER II. STATEMENT OF THE CASE, AS TO THE AUTHENTICITY OF ANCIENT BOOKS.
18CHAPTER XV. ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE PRECEDING STATEMENTS:—A MORNING AT THE BRITISH MUSEUM.
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6CHAPTER III. THE DATE OF ANCIENT WORKS, INFERRED FROM THE QUOTATIONS AND REFERENCES OF CONTEMPORARY AND SUCCEEDING WRITERS.
19CHAPTER XVI. FACTS RELATING TO THE CONSERVATION, AND LATE RECOVERY, OF SOME ANCIENT MANUSCRIPTS.
7CHAPTER IV. THE ANTIQUITY AND GENUINENESS OF ANCIENT BOOKS MAY BE INFERRED FROM THE HISTORY OF THE LANGUAGES IN WHICH THEY ARE EXTANT.
20CHAPTER XVII. THE PROCESS OF HISTORIC EVIDENCE EXEMPLIFIED IN THE INSTANCE OF HERODOTUS.
8CHAPTER V. ANCIENT METHODS OF WRITING, AND THE MATERIALS OF BOOKS.
21CHAPTER XVIII. METHOD OF ARGUING FROM THE GENUINENESS, TO THE AUTHENTICITY OF THE HISTORY OF HERODOTUS.
9CHAPTER VI. CHANGES INTRODUCED IN THE COURSE OF TIME IN THE FORMS OF LETTERS, AND IN THE GENERAL CHARACTER OF WRITING.
22CHAPTER XIX. EXAMPLES OF IMPERFECT HISTORICAL EVIDENCE:—HERODOTUS.
10CHAPTER VII. THE COPYISTS; AND THE PRINCIPAL CENTRES OF THE COPYING BUSINESS.
23CHAPTER XX. RECENT EXPLORATIONS, CONFIRMATORY OF THE TRUTH OF ANCIENT HISTORY: HERODOTUS AND BEROSUS[51].
11CHAPTER VIII. INDICATIONS OF THE SURVIVANCE OF ANCIENT LITERATURE, THROUGH A PERIOD EXTENDING FROM THE DECLINE OF LEARNING IN THE SEVENTH CENTURY, TO ITS RESTORATION IN THE FIFTEENTH.
24CHAPTER XXI. INFERENTIAL HISTORIC MATERIALS.
12CHAPTER IX. THE REVIVAL OF LEARNING IN THE FOURTEENTH CENTURY.
25CHAPTER XXII. THE MODERN JERUSALEM—A VOUCHER FOR THE LITERATURE OF ITS ANCIENT OCCUPANTS.
13CHAPTER X. SEVERAL METHODS AVAILABLE FOR ASCERTAINING THE CREDIBILITY OF ANCIENT HISTORICAL WORKS.
26Memorable Quotes