ABSTRACT
Before I turn to my subject I should like to pay a brief word of tribute to my predecessor, whose sudden death eighteen months ago must have been a great shock to the University. Victor Wiseman had a distinguished career in teaching, in scholarship and in public service. His involvement in all these activities was characterised by energy, enthusiasm and good humour, and in his years at Exeter he built up a Department which is well regarded in other universities and which I am very pleased to have joined.
