l.

APPENDIX E.--_The Preface of Friar Pipino to his Latin Version of Marco
Polo._ (Circa 1315-1320.)

"The Book of that prudent, honourable, and most truthful gentleman, MESSER
MARCO POLO of Venice, concerning the circumstances and manners of the
Regions of the East, which he conscientiously wrote and put forth in the
Vulgar Tongue, I, FRIAR FRANCESCO PIPINO of Bologna, of the Order of the
Preaching Friars, am called upon by a number of my Fathers and Masters to
render faithfully and truthfully out of the vulgar tongue into the Latin.
And this, not merely because they are themselves persons who take more
pleasure in Latin than in vernacular compositions, but also that those
who, owing to the diversity of languages and dialects, might find the
perusal of the original difficult or impossible, may be able to read the
Book with understanding and enjoyment.

"The task, indeed, which they have constrained me to undertake, is one
which they themselves could have executed more competently, but they were
averse to distract their attention from the higher contemplations and
sublime pursuits to which they are devoted, in order to turn their
thoughts and pens to things of the earth earthy. I, therefore, in
obedience to their orders, have rendered the whole substance of the Book
into such plain Latin as was suited to its subject.

"And let none deem this task to be vain and unprofitable; for I am of
opinion that the perusal of the Book by the Faithful may merit an
abounding Grace from the Lord; whether that in contemplating the variety,
beauty, and vastness of God's Creation, as herein displayed in His
marvellous works, they may be led to bow in adoring wonder before His
Power and Wisdom; or, that, in considering the depths of blindness and
impurity in which the Gentile Nations are involved, they may be
constrained at once to render thanks to God Who hath deigned to call His
faithful people out of such perilous darkness into His marvellous Light,
and to pray for the illumination of the hearts of the Heathen. Hereby,
also, the sloth of undevout Christians may be put to shame, when they see
how much more ready the nations of the unbelievers are to worship their
Idols, than are many of those who have been marked with Christ's Token to
adore the True God. Moreover, the hearts of some members of the religious
orders may be moved to strive for the diffusion of the Christian Faith,
and by Divine Aid to carry the Name of Our Lor