ARGHHH. Herein follows an anecdote about why people at the UL need to go on a textual studies course. I arrive in the map room and ask to consult the 1590 Saxton Atlas. I'm asked if I could use the facsimile. I say, well, ok. I go back to my desk, look up the facsimilie record, and it's for 1579. I return and say, I want to look at the 1590 text, so the facsimilie will not do. I add that I have already looked at the 1590 text in the Rare Books room, and need to compare them.

'But they are the same,' I am told insistently.
'Well, yes, but I'm looking for variants.'
'The only variant is the binding.'
'What, so you are telling me these copies are identical.'
'Yes'.
'No they're not. They can't be.'
'They are.'
'They're not. Printed texts are always different from each other.'
'What do you mean text - there is no text, just maps.'
'I know, I just mean text as in textual object.'
'So you know there's not any writing on the maps - are you thinking of Speed? Do you want Speed? [Funny question in itself]'
'No, I want Saxton.'
...
'Can I have a look at the 1590 Saxton?'

One argument later, and it turns out that the item is listed incorrectly anyway and they only have the 1579 copy.

FFFFMMMMLLLLL

Labels: cambridge, reading, renaissance

"The circle of human knowledge, illuminated by the pale, cold light of reason, is so infinitesimally small, the dark regions of human ignorance which lie beyond that luminous ring so immeasurably vast, that imagination is feign to step up to the borderline and send the warm, richly colored beams of her fairy lantern streaming out into the darkness ; and so, peering into the gloom, she is apt to mistake the shadowy reflections of her own figure for real beings moving in the abyss.

Sir James George FrazerThe Golden Bough

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The title of this blog comes from a poem by Coleridge, A Wish: Wriiten in Jesus Wood, Feb. 10th, 1792, Plus most blogs are moans anyway. Including this one. lol manuscripts

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I'm a 23 year-old student in London Cambridge London, studying English Literature Law. It's hard to really think of anything truly personal I can put here that might give you some idea of who I am, so I will just tell you that my favourite Shakespeare play is Richard II, my favourite chocolate bar is Snickers, and I have a bit of a thing for instant coffee, especially if someone else makes it for me.

I'm interested in Renaissance Literature, Higher Education policy, and libraries.
I'm completely in love with a Scottish girl.