Kudos to the Academia Belgica in Rome

I am mildly stunned and impressed! The Academia Belgica in Rome hold the papers of Franz Cumont. I wrote to them asking whether they had copies of an unpublished Italian translation of part of Ms. Mingana 142, and I got a very nice email back from Dr Pamela Anastasio, the librarian, confirming that they did, and offering options for photocopies (0.5 euros) or jpgs (1 euro) of the 6 pages. Of course they take money by bank-to-bank transfer, as European libraries tend to do. Being in the UK, it was going to cost me 21 euros to send 6 euros, and I asked if I could just send a 10 euro note by post. By return I got an email with the jpgs on, and agreement. It is astonishing to encounter such helpfulness, well beyond the path of duty. I certainly never expected the items before I had paid for them. Well done the Academia Belgica! Long may they flourish!

I wish that I could think of any means to repay their kindness.

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