ABSTRACT
A t one time I felt greatly tempted to imitate Dr. J. H. Clapham, in his Economic History of Modem Britain, by dedicating the English edition of the present book to the memories of Alfred Marshall and William Cunningham. But as I felt quite sure that they would have had many objections to the book, I gave up the idea, in order to prevent them from turning in their graves. I do not, however, foresee that calamity as a consequence of my expressing the great debt I owe to both of them. Particularly Marshall, for although my personal contact with him was slight, his Principles were not only the starting-point of my theoretical studies, but have also profoundly influenced my approach to economic history.
