HARVARD COLLEGE JAN 31917 THE TRUSTEES, GOVERNORS, AND PRINCIPAL OFFICERS OF THE JOHN RYLANDS LIBRARY. WILLIAM CARNELLEY. TRUSTEES. The RIGHT HON. LORD COZENS-HARDY OF LETHERINGSETT, P.C.] SIR ALFRED HOPKINSON, K.C., B.C.L., LL.D., SIR GEORGE WATSON MACALPINE, J.P., LL.D. SIR ADOLPHUS WILLIAM WARD, Litt.D., LL.D. etc. REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNORS.* WILLIAM CARNELLEY. GERARD N. FORD, J.P. SIR GEORGE WATSON MACALPINE, CHARLES HAROLD HERFORD, M.A., HENRY PLUMMER, J.P. LITT.D. SIR THOMAS T. SHANN, J.P. SIR ALFRED HOPKINSON, K.C., B.C.L., THOMAS F. TOUT, M.A., F.B.A. CHARLES E. VAUGHAN, M.A., LITT.D. LL.D. L. E. KASTNER, M.A. CO-OPTATIVE GOVERNORS.* The REV. ROBERT MACKINTOSH, M.A., The REV. J. T. MARSHALL, M.A., D.D. The A. S. PEAKE, M.A., D.D. HONORARY GOVERNORS. † RIGHT The RT. REV. The BISHOP OF LIN- The MAYOR OF SALFORD. SIR WILLIAM VAUDREY, J.P. *The Representative and Co-optative Governors constitute the Council. + Honorary Governors are not Members of the Council. THE JOHN RYLANDS LIBRARY MANCHESTER VOL. 3 APRIL-DECEMBER, 1916 A LIBRARY NOTES AND NEWS. N exhibition to commemorate the Three-hundredth Anniver Nos. 2 and 3 sary of the Death of Shakespeare was arranged THE in the main library, and opened on the Wed- SHAKEnesday preceding the actual date of the anniversary COMMEMO(the 23rd of April), which fell on Easter Sunday. SPEARE RATION. The object which was kept in view in the selection and arrangement of the exhibits, was to show the unfolding of Shakespeare's mind as it is reflected in his works. This we sought to accomplish by exhibiting, not only such of the original and early editions of the poet's writings as the library possesses, but also the principal sources which he employed in their composition. As a result we were able to bring together copies of the actual editions of the principal works to which Shakespeare had access, probably upon the shelves of his own library, since they are known to be the authorities whence he drew the foundation plots, stories, and other illustrative matter, which, after passing through the crucible of his mind, were transformed into the living and lasting reality which we find enshrined in his immortal works. Of Shakespeare's own works we have been able to exhibit two sets of the four folios, and an interesting copy of the surreptitiously printed "Sonnets" of 1609, which made its first appearance in June, the identical month in which Edward Alleyn, the contemporary actor, and founder of Dulwich College, purchased a copy for 5d., the same figure as that which appears in manuscript on the title-page of the one exhibited. Of the original quartos of the plays, the library does not possess a single example; therefore, for the purpose of illustrating the order of publication of the plays and poems, which were printed either with or without authority during the author's lifetime, we have had recourse to the excellent facsimiles which have appeared from time to time. In addition to what may be described as the direct sources, we have included an interesting selection of contemporary works of a more general character, with which Shakespeare was certainly familiar, and which may be described as his general reference books. As an indication of the character of these works, mention may be made of the following: William Camden's "Britannia"; John Florio's World of Words" and and "Second Fruits"; Leonard Digges' Pantometria," in which there is a description of the invention of the camera obscura," which in its modern form is known as the "periscope," which is attributed to Digges; Randle Cotgrave's "French Dictionary"; "Dives Pragmaticus"; Richard Hakluyt's "Principal Navigations"; and Saxton's "Atlas". 68 66 66 Another of the exhibition cases has been devoted to contemporary writings, which are of topographical or historical interest as bearing directly upon Shakespeare and his times, or which contain allusions to the poet, such as England's Parnassus"; Heywood's "Apology for Actors"; the unique copy of "Ratsei's Ghost" in which the author seems to make a sarcastic reflection on Shakespeare, who, a few years earlier, had purchased New Place, Stratford, out of his professional earnings. Finally, we have assembled a collection of school-books, many of which were current in Shakespeare's day. These serve to convey some idea of the character and standard of the education which obtained in England, not only at the time of our poet, but also in the earlier part of the sixteenth century. Amongst the works exhibited are : the little grammar "Rudimenta Grammatices" prepared by Cardinal Wolsey for the use of the college at Ipswich, which he had established in succession to the old grammar school; the first book wholly on arithmetic to be printed in England, the author of which was Cuthbert Tunstall, successively Bishop of London and Durham; and the treatise on education entitled "The Schoolmaster," by Roger Ascham, the tutor of Queen Elizabeth, in which he testifies warmly to Her Majesty's learning. purpose The which this and similar exhibitions are intended to serve, is to reveal to the public, and especially to students, the wealth of material available to them, in the library, for the study of the subjects dealt with. If we may judge from the large number of people, including numerous groups of students from the schools and colleges in |