Quotes of the day 16th November 2014

"The King, observing with judicious eyes
The state of both his universities,
To Oxford sent a troop of horse, and why?
That learned body wanted loyalty;
To Cambridge books, as very well discerning
How much that loyal body wanted learning."


(Joseph Trapp)


"The King to Oxford sent a troop of horse,
For Tories own no argument but force:
With equal skill to Cambridge books he sent,
For Whigs admit no force but argument."


(William Browne)


Trapp's epigram, and Browne's reply, were written about the library collected by John Moore, who had been Bishop of Norwich and then Ely. When he died in 1714, Moore's collection of books and papers contained over 30,000 items, and may have been the largest in England.

To celebrate his coronation, King George I caused it to be purchased intact, at a cost of 6,000 guineas, and donated to Cambridge University Library. Moore's library alone contained nearly twice the material in the existing University library.

While some material has been removed over the years, the gift is still largely intact, and is called The Royal Library in honour of its patron. Notable books in his library include the Book of Deer and the Treatise of Love.(Link to source)


Unfortunately this did not go down quite so well with the University of Oxford ...

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