A collection of out-of-copyright and rare books from the Cambridge University Library and other world-class institutions that have been digitally scanned, made available online, and reprinted in paperback.
A collection of out-of-copyright and rare books from the Cambridge University Library and other world-class institutions that have been digitally scanned, made available online, and reprinted in paperback.
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Published between 1862 and 1932, and reissued here in multiple parts, this monumental calendar of documents remains an essential starting point for the serious study of Tudor history. An experienced editor of historical texts, John Sherren Brewer (1809–79) had no prior training in the history of the period, yet he brought to the project the necessary industriousness and an impeccable command of Latin. Four volumes appeared before his death, whereupon James Gairdner (1828–1912), his former assistant, took up the editorial reins. Continuing Brewer's method of ordering chronologically all available documents from 1509 to 1547, and reproducing some passages while paraphrasing or omitting others, Gairdner brought the project to its conclusion, aided himself by R. H. Brodie (1859–1943) in preparing the later volumes. Part 1 of Volume 2 (1864) has been split into two for this reissue: this first half covers the period from January to November 1515.
The philologist Georg Friedrich Grotefend (1775–1853) combined his career as a senior master at schools in Frankfurt and Hannover with the publication of school textbooks on German and Latin, and academic research in ancient history and languages. He was a co-founder of the Monumenta Germaniae Historica series of historical sources, still widely consulted today, and is also remembered for his role in the decipherment of Old Persian cuneiform. During his lifetime he was best known for his studies of the Umbrian and Oscan languages (also reissued in the Cambridge Library Collection) and this collection of essays on the geography and history of pre-Roman Italy, published 1840–2. Grotefend emphasises the need to consult the earliest, near-contemporary Greek sources, rather than relying on later accounts. He discusses Greek and Roman myths relating to Italy, the different ethnic groups within the pre-Roman population, and evidence for their family or clan names.
Friedrich Gottlieb Welcker (1784–1868) championed a comprehensive approach to antiquity, embracing history, literature, art and religion. This, and his openness to contemporary philosophical ideas about aesthetics and mythology, gave his work a visionary quality that inspired later figures as diverse as Usener and Wilamowitz. In this three-volume work on tragedy, his largest, published between 1839 and 1841, he attempts to reconstruct all the lost trilogies and tetralogies of Greek tragic theatre, insisting on their artistic unity, and demonstrating their fundamental debt to the Epic Cycle (which he had investigated in his Der Epische Cyclus, also reissued in this series). Amid much that is fantastic he made many brilliant discoveries, such that he must still be consulted by all serious students of the subject. Volume 3 discusses Greek tragedy in the Hellenistic period and the influence of Greek tragedy on later Roman drama.
Theodor Mommsen's influential multi-volume work, first published between 1871 and 1888, is a systematic treatment of the intricate workings of the Roman state. The renowned German scholar proposed an original and sometimes controversial understanding of Roman institutions, based around the categories of nineteenth-century constitutional law. The Romans themselves never actually codified their complicated body of law, but by applying a historical approach to describe the development of Roman law Mommsen succeeds in making it more accessible to the reader. He systematises the many diverse legal elements upon which the Roman constitution was based and offers a coherent reading of it. In Volume 3, Part 1 Mommsen gives a detailed account of the various economic and social categories of Roman citizens and subjects, including senators, patricians, plebs, freed slaves, and non-Roman inhabitants of the empire.
A precursor of modern academic journals, this quarterly periodical, published between 1810 and 1829 and now reissued in forty volumes, was founded and edited by Abraham John Valpy (1787–1854). Educated at Pembroke College, Oxford, Valpy established himself in London as an editor and publisher, primarily of classical texts. Edmund Henry Barker (1788–1839), who had studied at Trinity College, Cambridge, became a contributor and then co-editor of this journal, which fuelled a scholarly feud with the editors of the Museum criticum (1813–26), a rival periodical (also reissued in the Cambridge Library Collection). Although its coverage overlapped with that of its competitor, the Classical Journal also included general literary and antiquarian articles as well as Oxford and Cambridge prize poems and examination papers. It remains a valuable resource, illuminating the development of nineteenth-century classical scholarship and academic journals. Volume 4 contains the September and December issues for 1811.
Although his yeoman father is said to have burnt his books to discourage excessive studiousness, Thomas Wright (1711–86) nevertheless acquired considerable knowledge in the fields of mathematics, navigation and astronomy. Later benefitting from the patronage of wealthy families, he also surveyed estates, designed gardens, and tutored aristocrats. He is best known, however, for his contribution to astronomy: this illustrated work of 1750 was his most famous publication. Written in the form of nine letters, the book quotes both poets and scientists in the opening discussion as Wright sets out to fuse, rather than separate, science and religion. Combining his observations of the Milky Way with his theological belief in a universe of perfect order, he notes, among other things, that our galaxy appears to be disc-shaped. While largely ignored by contemporary astronomers, Wright's ideas can be seen as a forerunner to more sophisticated conceptions of our galaxy's configuration.
In the 1840s, the civil engineer Peter Bruff (1812–1900) designed what was then the largest brick structure in Britain, the 1,000-foot-long Chappel Viaduct in Essex. He went on to become a railway entrepreneur and developer, and was responsible for the creation of the resort town Clacton-on-Sea, where he also designed many of the buildings. In this illustrated guide, first published in 1838 and here reissued in the revised and expanded two-volume second edition of 1840–2, he discusses the theory and practice of surveying (calculating the accurate position of points in the landscape) and levelling (calculating the accurate height of points). Volume 2 covers levelling; Bruff gives a brief overview of the theory, then describes the typical equipment used. By discussing such examples as the levelling of a projected railway route, he explains what information should be recorded, and how to avoid common errors of technique that affect accuracy.
A pioneer in establishing the study of geography in British universities, Henry Fanshawe Tozer (1829–1916) sought to share his deep appreciation of the subject's ancient authorities, particularly Strabo. His keen understanding of historical geography rested on first-hand knowledge of physical landscapes, gained during travels through Italy, Greece and Turkey. While E. H. Bunbury had already produced an extensive work along similar lines, Tozer believed that classicists as well as other readers would welcome a more manageable, single-volume textbook. First published in 1897, it traces the progress of geographical writing in Greek and Latin from the Homeric age to the end of Rome's western empire. Due attention is given along the way to such writers as Hecataeus, Herodotus, Strabo and Ptolemy, with the inclusion of maps that show their respective conceptions of the world. The impact of conquest, notably by Alexander the Great and the Romans, is also highlighted.
One of the great Victorian engineers, Sir William Fairbairn (1789–1874) had started his career as a millwright's apprentice, going on to become a civil engineer, a designer of industrial machinery and an expert on the failure of materials and structures. The present work distils a lifetime's experience of mechanical design into two highly illustrated parts. First published in 1861 and 1863, they are here reissued in a single volume. Part 1 gives a general overview of mechanisms such as gears, cranks and cams, and then moves on to the design of prime movers: waterwheels and turbines, steam engines and boilers, and windmills. Part 2 covers the design of mechanisms in more detail, and discusses power transmissions and their components: shafts, gears, bearings, couplings and so on. Lastly, Fairbairn gives overviews of the most important types of industrial mill - including cotton, wool, paper, iron and gunpowder - and their machinery.
This remarkable collection of private correspondence between Emma Darwin and members of her family, published in 1904, provides the reader with a delightful and informative account of life in the late nineteenth century, and a picture of an amusing, educated, and caring woman. Emma Darwin (1808–1896) was especially remembered for her patience and fortitude in dealing with her husband's long term illness, which became apparent shortly after their marriage. In nursing and humouring Charles through his many ups and downs, she was a crucial factor in her husband's scientific accomplishments. She was responsible for bringing up their large family, running their household, and hosting visits from relatives and scientists. This, the first of two volumes edited by her daughter Henrietta, focuses on Emma's parents and relatives, up to 1839. Both volumes are organised chronologically, and include delightful illustrations from the family archives.
An army officer and politician, Richard William Howard Vyse (1784–53) also made his mark as an Egyptologist. This three-volume work, published in 1840–2, has remained an instructive resource in Egyptology up to the present day. Adopting the style of a journal, with illustrations and diagrams throughout, it narrates in detail his excavations at Giza, surveying and measuring the pyramids. Following Vyse's return to England, the work was continued by the engineer and surveyor John Shae Perring (1813–69). Vyse gives observations of his travels, and of the landscape, people and architecture he encountered, as well as details of the important work he carried out. Most notable was his discovery, using gunpowder, of four new chambers in the Great Pyramid containing 'quarry marks' - graffiti by the pyramid builders. Volume 3 (1842) describes the work continued by Perring on various pyramids, and on the mummy pits at Saqqara.
Sir Charles Santley (1834–1922), the English baritone whose career spanned more than fifty years, embracing both the operatic and concert stages, ranked among the foremost singers of his generation. After studying in Italy, he returned to England, where he was soon in great demand on the concert platform and in operatic roles, singing with the Pyne-Harrison, Mapleson and Carl Rosa opera companies, the Sacred Harmonic Society, the Philharmonic Society, and at the major English music festivals. His name is linked inseparably with the lavish Handel festivals at the Crystal Palace, and with the prophet in Mendelssohn's great oratorio Elijah. Santley's memoirs, first published in 1892 and reissued here in the third edition of that year, concentrate almost exclusively on his operatic career (a further volume on his concert experiences had been planned). His genial and informative anecdotes underpin the overriding message that hard work and perseverance win the day.
Born in Derby, John Mawe (1766–1829) established a successful mineral-dealing business in London and became a significant figure in the development of British commercial mineralogy in the early nineteenth century. He travelled widely, advising on mineral exploration, and gathering specimens for clients such as Charles IV of Spain. This illustrated 1802 work gives an overview of the geological features and strata of Mawe's home county. He discusses the various mineral deposits to be found in Derbyshire, and describes some of the county's mines. Drawing on observations made on his travels, he gives descriptions of important mines in northern England, Scotland and Wales, alongside remarks on geological features of interest. The book closes with a glossary of terms used by miners in Derbyshire. Mawe's well-received Travels in the Interior of Brazil (revised edition, 1821) is also reissued in the Cambridge Library Collection.
The acclaimed Prussian naturalist Alexander von Humboldt (1769–1859) was referred to by Charles Darwin as 'the greatest scientific traveller who ever lived'. Several of his works were in the library aboard the Beagle, including the multi-volume Personal Narrative of Travels, two books on geology and Tableaux de la nature (all reissued in the Cambridge Library Collection). Darwin's copy of this two-volume 1811 New York edition of Humboldt's Political Essay (originally published in French earlier that year) is inscribed 'Buenos Ayres', suggesting he acquired it there in 1832–3, without its accompanying atlas (forthcoming). Humboldt had spent a year in Mexico in 1803–4, and was struck by its 'civilization' as compared to regions of South America that he had visited earlier on his expedition. Volume 1 of his account contains a 'geographical introduction' and discussions of physical geography, agriculture, and the ethnic diversity, distribution and health of the population.
Appointed Britain's consul-general in Egypt in 1815, Henry Salt (1780–1827) involved himself deeply in the excavation of several historic sites and the collection of numerous antiquities. The most notable of these, found at Thebes, was the colossal bust of Rameses II which was acquired by the British Museum and is believed to have inspired Shelley's 'Ozymandias'. This 1825 publication, featuring Salt's careful reproductions and explanations of various inscriptions, made a valuable contribution to the understanding of Egyptian hieroglyphics. Following the innovative work on the Rosetta Stone carried out by Thomas Young, and the celebrated decipherment presented in 1822 by Jean-François Champollion, Salt helped to further elucidate the hieroglyphic alphabet, although later research has disproved some of his conclusions. A postscript notes how Champollion's 1824 Précis du système hiéroglyphique des anciens Égyptiens (also reissued in this series) confirms several names of Egyptian gods and pharaohs which Salt had independently deciphered.
This two-volume milestone work, published in 1776, was the first major publication of William Withering (1741–99), a physician who had also trained as an apothecary (his Account of the Foxglove, and Some of its Medical Uses is also reissued in this series). The first systematic botanical guide to British native plants, the present work uses and extends the Linnaean system of classification, but renders the genera and species 'familiar to those who are unacquainted with the Learned Languages'. Withering offers 'an easy introduction to the study of botany', explaining the markers by which the plants are classified in a particular genus, and giving advice on preserving specimens, but the bulk of the work consists of botanical descriptions (in English) of the appearance, qualities, varieties, common English names, and uses of hundreds of plants. The book continued to be revised and reissued for almost a century after Withering's death.
Henry Sweet (1845–1912) began at an early age to teach himself Old English and Old Icelandic. Before going up to Oxford, he spent a year at the University of Heidelberg, studying comparative and Germanic philology, and during his undergraduate career he published an edition of King Alfred's Pastoral Care. His enthusiasm for philology led him to pursue a career in research and teaching, though he did not hold a university post until in 1901 he was appointed to a new readership in phonetics at Oxford. His work on the sounds of English was first published in 1874, and in this revised version in 1888. The work derived from a monograph 'on the history of long e and o', but Sweet's own further research, as well as that of others, led him to a much broader treatment, including an investigation of dialects and medieval and modern English sounds.
Founded in 1868 by the Cambridge scholars John Eyton Bickersteth Mayor (1825–1910), William George Clark (1821–78), and William Aldis Wright (1831–1914), this biannual journal was a successor to The Journal of Classical and Sacred Philology (also reissued in the Cambridge Library Collection). Unlike its short-lived precursor, it survived for more than half a century, until 1920, spanning the period in which specialised academic journals developed from more general literary reviews. Predominantly classical in subject matter, with contributions from such scholars as J. P. Postgate, Robinson Ellis and A. E. Housman, the journal also contains articles on historical and literary themes across the 35 volumes, illuminating the growth and scope of philology as a discipline during this period. Volume 6, comprising issues 11 and 12, was published in 1876.
The subtitle of this eight-volume set is Consisting of Authentic Memoirs and Original Letters of Eminent Persons, and Intended as a Sequel to the 'Literary Anecdotes', which had been published in nine volumes by the author, editor and publisher John Nichols (1745–1826) between 1812 and 1815, and are also reissued in this series. Like its predecessor set, these 'illustrations' are a useful source of biographical material on authors and publishers at a time when many of the literary genres we take for granted, such as the novel, the autobiography and the analytical history, were first being developed. The volumes were published between 1817 and 1858, the project being continued after Nichols' death by his son and grandson. Among the 'eminent persons' included in Volume 2 are the Shakespearian entrepreneur Lewis Theobald, the antiquarian William Stukeley, Sir Hans Sloane, and Sir Joseph Banks.
This extraordinary collection of historical facts, a valuable source for local history, was compiled by Thomas Fuller (1608–61), who came from a clerical family and was educated at Cambridge. He was ordained, had gained a reputation as a preacher, and had published several theological works, when at the outbreak of the Civil War he enlisted as a chaplain in the royalist army. Travelling round the country with Sir Ralph Hopton's troops, he pursued the historical enquiries which would result in the posthumous publication in 1662 of his most famous work. This two-volume edition was annotated by John Nichols, the bookseller and publisher, and published in 1811. The first part of the work consists of twenty-five short chapters which explain the organisation of the work, after which England and Wales are examined county by county: first, natural resources and manufactures, and then notable people, starting with princes and saints.