Reprint. Originally published: New York : Macmillan, 1950. With new pref.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 319-331) and index.
Preface to the Ohio State University Press Edition -- Introduction: The unsung scholar -- The secret of the ebony cabinet -- The case of the curious bibliographers -- The quest of the knight-prisoner -- Hunting for manuscripts -- Exit a lady, enter another -- A gallery of inventors -- The scholar and the scientist -- Secrets in cipher -- The destructive elements -- Shades of Mrs. Grundy -- Post-Mortems -- On the trail of Byron -- The search for Sambir -- Discoveries: 'The Book of Margery Kempe'; Medwall's 'Fulgems and Lucres; The poems of Thomas Traherne; The poems of Edward Taylor; The Conway letters; Browning's 'Essay on Chatterton'; The Bronte's childhood fantasies.