[iii] PREFACE TO THE TRANSLATION.
THE following translation of the celebrated work of Grotius, De Jure Belli et Pacis, was made with the intention of its being printed side by side with the original; and contains numerous references to quotations given in the original, but omitted in the translation for the sake of brevity and convenience. It has been thought that several persons might wish to have the translation alone, and therefore it is here so published. In doing this, the references have been retained unaltered; since, though the translation has thus necessarily an aspect of incompleteness, the reader has thereby an indication of what is omitted or abridged. It is hoped that, notwithstanding these omissions, the translation conveys a clear and correct view of the reasonings and discussions of the work.
The style of Grotius is concise, and in some degree technical, as the nature of the work requires: and this character it has not been attempted to avoid in the translation, except so far as to make it intelligible to ordinary Readers.
The Preface to the Edition, and the Latin Index to the Work, have been annexed to the translation, as likely to be useful to the English Reader. Even where they contain references to passages which do not appear in this volume, they will convey information respecting the original work.