"As long ago as 1905 Sir Walter Raleigh sketched the first plan of this book, and in 1909 Sir Sidney Lee undertook its production. He arranged for the writing of most of the treatises now published, set on foot the first selection of the illustrations ... and made additions from his own collections and from fresh researches. In 1911 he was obliged to postpone work upon the book ... Successive editors who took up the task were withdrawn by war work in the course of 1914-15." The Clarendon press has employed Charles Talbut Onions for the completion of the work. cf. Pref.

Bibliography at the end of each chapter.