Horizontal ornamental woodcut border at the top of the page, composed of scrolling acanthus leaves and floral motifs.

OF MEMORY AND

OBLIVION

Preface.

Book 2, On the Orator Cicero's De Oratore.

Some years ago, I published
a certain Medico-chemical dialogue;
which was first printed at Halle,
and later, without my knowledge,
was illustrated with marginal notes
and appeared in print elsewhere, decorated with perhaps
more praise than was appropriate. Moved by modesty
and a certain genuine timidity (to speak with Cicero),
I had not prefixed my name to it.
Because rumor had it that some had criticized me
for this, I immediately began to think about how I
might avoid this fault in the future. Therefore, it pleased
me to issue to the public the booklet which I was then
crafting regarding the utilities of artificial memory, or,
if you prefer, reminiscence, under the name of Sebaldus
Smarugisus, imitating in this the most famous and
learned men, who themselves sometimes wished in their
writings not to be seen by the eyes of all, but only of
some, and to remain hidden.