The five previous volumes of the Acta Historiae Neerlandicae appeared under the auspices of the Netherlands Committee for Historical Sciences. When in 1970 this Committee merged with the Historical Society to form the Dutch Historical Society (Nederlands Historisch Genootschap) an opportunity arose to rethink the aims of the Acta's original promotors. Also this sixth and succeeding volumes became the responsibility of the new combined Society as above. The volumes will from now on be published at The Hague by Martinus Nijhoff. From the early days of the Acta language barriers were broken down, and interested scholars from other countries could acquaint themselves with deve lopments in historical work in the Low Countries hitherto published only in Dutch. The Acta thus enabled discussion on Dutch historical topics to become international. However, initially subjects covered a wide field, not only of Dutch but also of general history, and articles were translated from Dutch not only into English but also into French and German. If sales can be taken as a guide, it appeared that scholars were not finding in the Acta precisely what they were seeking. Editors' expectations, and therefore their hopes, were, it was felt, going unrealised.

Volume VIII of Acta Historiae Neerlandicae again presents studies on the history of the Low Countries which it is hoped will be of interest to foreign scholars. The intention has been to deal with a fairly long period, and many differing aspects, of the subject. So institutional, political, economic, social and cultural history all receive a fair share of attention, and together the studies cover a considerable number of centuries. It is, however, striking to note how even this restricted number of studies reflects prevailing viewpoints among today's Low Countries' historians. Clearly there is considerable stress on economic and social questions. Traditional studies such as those of former Belgian historians on medieval history, or those of the Dutch on the seventeenth century, are now giving way to works that are problem directed. Power structures, the position of the bourgeoisie, reactions of the intelli gentsia and theologians to societal problems, have now more attraction for scholars than the glories of late medieval wealth in Flanders or Holland's Golden Age. Terms such as Guerilla warfare, Struggle, Depression, typify today's critical approach to society in general.

In the Survey of Recent Historical Works, which according to custom concludes this IXth volume of the Acta, is a notice of the recent 'Report of the Dutch research, with suggestions for future development'. Such a report could easily be classified as an attempt to bring pressure to bear on financial resources for support of a somewhat neglected branch of scientific effort, indeed as a symptom of the current disease of notatitis. A recent special issue 'Regeren door notas', of the periodical Beleid and Maatschappij, March-April 1976, discusses this severe Dutch epidemic of official note-writing, for any purpose, on any matter, at any time, by any sort of official committee to any sort of official body. But even if such were the only reason for the production of this Report, which indeed it is not, the Report will stand on its own feet, as significant and of consequence. In general, however, this Report makes sad reading. It would seem that Dutch historical research and historiography lags far behind comparable foreign developments. There are said to be immense gaps in knowledge of and insight into virtually all fields of the Dutch past and moreover a total lack of modem sophistication. Inevitably, currently fashionable techniques such as programming, co-ordination, and teamwork are suggested as desirable, and a preference is expressed for the currently highly regarded socio-historical approach.

This bibliographical guide contains 10,000 references to the economic and social history of 30 European countries during the period 1700-1939. More than 3000 periodicals have been consulted to obtain references, as well as books, edited collections and conference proceedings. The information is listed in categories such as industry, agriculture, finance, migration, labour conditions, urban communities and organizations. Full publication details are included, so that references may be located easily.