(II) HEARNE'S ACCOUNT OF HIS DIMISSAL FROM THE UNDER-LIBRARIANSHIP. "On Friday, March 2nd, last (1715), the Visitors of the Library met, being called together by Dr. Hudson, who had declared almost a year before that I should be turned out of both my places, and at the same time spoke in very indecent language. This meeting was wholly about me. There were only five of the eight (for eight is the whole number) there, viz. Dr. Barrow, Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Clavering, Reg. Prof. of Hebrew, Dr. Terry, Reg. Prof. of Greek, Dr. Boucher, Reg. Prof. of Law, and Mr. Dod, the junior Proctor. They met in the study of the Library gallery, which study belongs to the under-librarian, though Dr. Hudson had hindered me the use of it for some time. I was writing out the old monuments upon the wall opposite to the study. After some time they sent for me, and the Vice-Chancellor told me that I had printed Rowse without leave, and Dr. Boucher said that the MSS. of the Library ought not to be transcribed. I said I had done nothing against statute. The Vice-Chancellor said that I had reflected in my preface to Rowse, in p. 9 (though this objection was not mentioned when I was before him a day or two before, when the objections were stated at a meeting of the press), upon the University's not keeping up the exercise. If it be a reflection I am sure it is too true. After several warm words of the Vice-Chancellor though I behaved myself very coolly, he told me Mr. Hudson had complained that I had not done the duty for some time of the hypo-bibliothecarius, and that therefore another must be put in, and that they would make an order for it. I gave him my reasons why I did not act, viz. first, because I was excluded by Dr. Hudson (though I neither had resigned nor intended it), new keys, different from mine, being made by him. Secondly, because I had not taken the oaths, and so could not act, unless I would hazard the danger of forfeiting £500, and of incurring other penalties. I desired them to express these reasons in their order, if they thought fit to make any. But this the ViceChancellor denied, and said they would only insist upon my neglect of duty. I was desired to withdraw, and after a long hour (all which time I spent opposite to the study in writing out the old monuments), I was called in again. The Vice-Chancellor told me they had allowed me the Lady-Day, and that they had made an order that if after that time there was any complaint of neglect, Dr. Hudson should be at liberty of putting in a proper person to act into my room. I told them I should not act, for the reasons before mentioned, and I desired to have a copy of the order. This I was also denied. But at last the Vice-Chancellor showed it at a distance. Pray,' said I, 'Mr. Vice-Chancellor, let me have it in BOOK III, Chapter VII. (Appendix.) The Bodleian Library. Dismissal of Hearne. BOOK III. Chapter VIII. (Appendix.) The Bodleian Library. my hands. I am short-sighted, and I cannot see at a distance.' This he denied. Then,' said I, 'I will use my glass;' which when I spoke of, he vouchsafed to let me have it in my hands, and I read it aloud just as it was writ (by Dr. Hudson who was employed to pen it), there being false spellings in it (particularly agread for agreed). Towards the bottom there was "upder library keeper," and so I read it, at which the Vice-Chancellor was in a passion and took the book out of my hands. They were all amazed at this word "upder," because that may be understood of the upper, as well as of the under-library-keeper. I desired the book again to make an end of my reading. At last it was delivered to me, and then I read out aloud as before and pronounced it as written, upder-library-keeper, at which the Vice-Chancellor was in a passion again, and said among other things, Sir, I will send you to the castle, for all you are a Master of Arts. We do not come hither to be drolled at.' To omit several merry particulars, I was dismissed at last and they broke up and went away. They all set their hands to Hudson's ill-spelt record, of which before I went I desired a copy, alleging that my memory was bad, and that I could not otherwise observe it. But this was absolutely denied. Lady-Day being come, Dr. Hudson, without any regard to the order (by virtue of which I should have had another admonition as I remember), put Mr. Fletcher of Queen's into my place. I have resigned nothing, but must submit to every thing without any stir in the affair. By the bye, Dr. Hudson, being married, is not a sta tutable librarian; marriage is express against statute; and though Sir Thomas Bodley, with great unwillingness, gave way to Dr. James's marriage, yet he declared it should be no precedent for the future." 1 1 Thomas Hearne to Mr. Rawlins, March 2, 1715. (Gentleman's Magazine, March, 1857, 262, 263.) CHAPTER VIII. THE MINOR UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES, AND THE The University of Oxford, ... the most noble theatre and emporium of all good sciences, the very source and most clear spring of good literature and wisdom; from whence religion, civility, and learning, have spread most plentifully through all parts of England. WOOD, Athenæ Oxonienses, 2. Of the lesser libraries of Oxford seven belong to the University, namely (1) The Radcliffe Library; (2) The Ashmolean Library; (3) The Library of the Taylor Institution; (4) The Hope Library of Natural History; (5) The Library attached to the Geological Museum; (6) That attached to the noble Botanic Garden of the University; (7) The Savilian Library, which is an appendage to the Savilian professorship of Geometry. The Radcliffe Observatory and the Ashmolean Museum have also a small collection of books attached to each of them respectively. The other libraries belong to the several colleges. Garth's smart saying that "for Radcliffe to found a library was as if an 'eunuch had founded a Seraglio," BOOK III. Chapter VIII. The Minor Libra ries of Oxford. The Radcliffe BOOK III. Chapter VIII. ries of Oxford. was doubtless a return for some sarcasm, at least as The Minor Libra- trenchant, which he found it more convenient to retort when the witty utterer had left the stage. But there was sufficient truth in it to make the saying remembered. It agrees, too, with Radcliffe's own reply, forty years before, to the enquiry of Bathurst, the Master of Trinity,-"Where are your books?"—"Sir,” replied Radcliffe, pointing to a few phials, a skeleton, and a herbal, "there is my Library.” of a Library ourable to men In truth, the foundation of a library is more honourable to a man for whom ready wit, great energy, and The foundation unusual self-reliance had done so much, than it could especially hon- possibly be to the most accomplished book-worm. Radlike Dr. Radcliffe. cliffe knew that to books he owed comparatively little. But he loved and honoured men of quite another mould, for whom books had done almost everything. If he was quick to see that some of them would have been the better for a little more of his own independent spirit of enterprise, he probably felt quite as keenly that he would have been himself none the worse for a larger infusion of their patient industry. At all events, he gave a noble impulse to study by the dispositions of his last Will.. His first idea had been the enlargement of the Bodleian. He thought, as Atterbury has told us, “to build out from the Selden part, a room of ninety feet long,... and under it another library for Exeter College, on whose ground the new erection must stand;" but the scheme failed, apparently on account of some of the conditions insisted on by the College. Dr. Radcliffe bequeathed forty thousand pounds for BOOK III. Chapter VIII. ries of Oxford. building his library, to be paid by his executors on the decease of the survivor of his two sisters (to whom he The Minor Librahad left large annuities). The Trustees appointed by his Will purchased the necessary ground as opportunity offered, but the contingency attached to the bequest delayed the actual commencement of the building until the year 1737. It was completed in 1747. A salary of £150 per annum for the librarian, and a sum of £100 per annum for the purchase of books, were amongst the munificent provisions of the founder. The public opening took place in 1749, on which occasion the Duke of Beaufort, on behalf of the Trustees, formally delivered the key of the Library to the Vice Chancellor.2 Character of the cliffe Library. The collection is especially rich in works on the physical sciences, on architecture, and on some sections of books in the Radarchæology. The manuscripts are few, and—with one exception, of no great importance. The exception has been made memorable by the account which August Wilhelm von Schlegel has given of his Oxonian adventures in search of Oriental MSS., some thirty years ago. He had been informed, he tells us, that some valuable Arabic, Persian, and Sanscrit MSS., collected by James Fraser, during his travels, were preserved at Oxford, in some library or other. At the Bodleian, he was unable to gain any clue to them. At the Radcliffe Library, Fraser's Arabic and Persian manuscripts were remembered, but nothing was known of any in Sanscrit, which latter were the special object of Schlegel's inqui 1 Gibbs, Bibliotheca Radcliviana, pref. |