ABSTRACT
The transformation of live colloquium into book form is now a natural academic mutation; nevertheless, bets still cannot safely be taken on whether the change will prove a simple translation of speech into print, or something close to metamorphosis. Those who were present at the first Neale Colloquium on 3-4 February 1995 will know that Charity, self-interest and welfare in the English past does not exactly replicate those lively proceedings. The Neale Lecture itself can be read here almost exactly as it was delivered by the Director of the Cambridge Group for the History of Population and Social Structure; but there has been some revision of the roster of colloquium papers. Only a few faint traces survive of the many comments and criticisms launched from the floor throughout the day. This is a pity, for although at any colloquium those who attend sometimes offer wider perspectives, shrewder insights, and sounder information than the paper-readers, at this particular colloquium the standard of live discussion was exceptionally high. Some who were there may also regret finding no echo of the continuo improvised from the chair to link the academic arias, recitatives and choruses inspired by the original theme of “Who is my neighbour?”. Traditionally, the chair’s continuo is replaced at the book stage by the editor’s introduction. Martin Daunton’s introduction, however, offers neither echoes of his original impromptu link material, nor summaries of the contributions he has gathered together in this volume.
