ABSTRACT
This book is the result of over fifteen years of reading, and travelling around Europe, years which I have enjoyed immensely due to the kindness I have received from many individuals whose names it would take this book to fill. I have especially happy memories of my student days in Cambridge, Tübingen, Prague and Frankfurt, and more recently of digging in central France. I have been generously supported financially by the University of Sheffield, the British Academy, and the British Council through various exchange grants. Especially I must thank my family who have had to suffer periodic desertion as I have disappeared to foreign parts to try to catch up with recent developments in the subject.
