Immediately on the formation of the Index Society, Mr. Peacock suggested the publication of a List of such Indexes as have been published in separate volumes, and his suggestion was accepted as one that ought to be carried out. The difficulty then arose as to what constituted an Index; for instance, many actual Indexes are not so called, and such books as the Index Expurgatorius are not really Indexes at all. It was also found that the list would be very extensive and would take up considerable time in compilation. Under these circumstances I proposed to add to my account of Index work a preliminary list of such Indexes as came in my way, and indulgence is asked for the following catalogue, as it is a mere skeleton of one division of the subject. I shall be greatly obliged if readers will send me notice of Foreign Indexes as well as of English ones not mentioned here, so that materials for a full catalogue to be prepared hereafter may be gathered together.

I have been greatly assisted in the compilation of this list by Messrs. Gomme, Peacock, and Solly. Since the first publication I have received much highly appreciated aid from Messrs. Ashbee, Brightwell, and Clements, and from Drs. Crompton, J. B. Hamilton, and Francis H. Brown of Boston, U.S., and from several other kind friends, who sent me titles of Indexes that had escaped my notice. Prof. Justin Winsor was good enough to send me a delightful little volume of 134 pages, entitled, A Handbook for Readers (for the Boston Public Library), which contains a list of Indexes. I have taken out a few of the titles of those which I have been unable to see, and have prefixed a star (*) to them.