Thomas Hyde,Julia Pettee and the Development of Cataloging Principles; with a Translation of Hyde's 1674 Preface to the Reader

Julia Pettee's claim to find in Thomas Hyde's preface to the Bodleian Catalog of 1674 a formulation of "the first principle of modern cataloging" stands up to the criticism of Eva Verona and Carolyn Frost. Her statement of that principle, "that the cataloger should recognize and assemble literary units under a single caption," faithfully summarizes the common intent of the procedures described in Hyde's Preface. Further, this principle should not be identified with the literary unit principle alone (a common misconception), but refers to the two interrelated principles of authorship and the literary unit. That Hyde "formulated" these principles can be defended only if we permit Pettee a certain latitude in her use of language. Included is an English translation of Hyde's Preface to the Reader.