@magdlibs.bsky.social
The Libraries and Archives of Magdalene College, Cambridge.
Highly recommended by our library staff - a fun and informative introduction.
21.07.2025 11:01 β π 1 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0
Come to a free online event about Pepysβs diary, neither of which clashes with Englandβs matches in the Euros! β½οΈ
Saturday 5 July at 6-7pm BST.Β
tinyurl.com/shorthand-sa...
Or
Tuesday 8 July 2-3pm BST.
tinyurl.com/shorthand-tu...
![A handwritten inscription in the margin of THE COVNTESSE OF PEMBROKES ARCADIA (1621) that reads: βElizabeth Pride her Book giuen her by [the?] Lord Larrance / a ugly Lord a rogue a folle of a Lordβ
STC 22545 β’ Folger Shakespeare Library](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:glqdunvigi5zxowf6heik65g/bafkreibfnviwv3b3tzmdh5kurk5cgpf7cuttsy5qjhhzpwbove5tqlekz4@jpeg)
A handwritten inscription in the margin of THE COVNTESSE OF PEMBROKES ARCADIA (1621) that reads: βElizabeth Pride her Book giuen her by [the?] Lord Larrance / a ugly Lord a rogue a folle of a Lordβ STC 22545 β’ Folger Shakespeare Library
a #herbook inscription for the ages:
Elizabeth Pride her Book giuen her by [the?] Lord Larrance / a ugly Lord a rogue a folle of a Lord
π₯π₯π₯
STC 22545 β’ @folger.edu
The importance of provenance information in library catalogue records has been discussed in 'Finding the Marginal in Marginalia: The Importance of Including Marginalia Descriptions in Catalog Entries' by Dr Zoe Screti-with special mention of Magdalene's rare book cataloguing!
doi.org/10.1177/1550...
Ultimately, we can only be grateful for this strange series of events. Almost 400 years after its composition, Pepysβs diary still fascinates and delights its readers for its passages on the plague, the Great Fire of London, and the scandals of the court of King Charles II.
#SamuelPepys
Early printed editions of Samuel Pepys's diary on the shelves at Magdalene College, which are part of the Henk Hiltrop bequest. The volumes have leather and cloth bindings with gilt lettering on spine labels.
Loveman also notes the strangeness pointed out by Leigh Hunt in 1841, that a diary of such personal and sometimes scandalous information was written at all and so meticulously; stranger still that it be freely donated to his College where it contents were at risk of discovery.
14.05.2025 09:03 β π 4 π 0 π¬ 1 π 0Lastly, the diary is comprised of over 1 million words, spanning 3100 pages and meriting six volumes for the complete works. Thus, the abridged first edition required editing out around three quarters of the total.
14.05.2025 09:03 β π 2 π 0 π¬ 1 π 0
Early printed editions of Samuel Pepys's diary on the shelves at Magdalene College, which are part of the Henk Hiltrop bequest. The volumes have blue cloth covers with gilt lettering.
This was especially true in certain cases where Pepysβs intentions were subtly encoded in his writing and easily missed. Secondly, the diary was frequently lewd and faced censorship for obscenity.
14.05.2025 09:03 β π 3 π 0 π¬ 1 π 0Did you know that efforts to have the diary published were far from easy? Firstly, the diary was composed in shorthand, the transcription of which was more like translation, as @kateloveman.bsky.social notes in her recent work, βThe Strange History of Samuel Pepysβs Diaryβ.
14.05.2025 09:03 β π 2 π 0 π¬ 1 π 0
Title page of the first edition of Samuel Pepys's diary, published by Henry Colburn in 1825.
Frontispiece of the first edition of Samuel Pepys's diary, showing Samuel Pepys at a desk with a large wig on his head and a globe beside him, published by Henry Colburn in 1825.
200 years ago #otd, Pepysβ Diary was first sent to print in two volumes priced at six guineas each, soon becoming a vital source for studying the Restoration period and a hallmark of British history. In celebration of this bicentennial, letβs take a look at the remarkable history of this diary. π§΅
14.05.2025 09:03 β π 26 π 9 π¬ 1 π 0This print has been used to illustrate many other conclaves in the 17th century, with the images being 'recycled' and the names of the Popes replaced each time. These conclave prints were popular tourist souvenirs.
07.05.2025 14:03 β π 0 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0In this instance, the conclave took five months to elect a new Pope - it concluded in the July of that year, when the cardinals were starting to suffer from the summer heat.
07.05.2025 14:03 β π 0 π 0 π¬ 1 π 0The print depicts the ceremonies associated with the death of Alexander VIII (Pietro Vito Ottoboni) and the conclave to elect the new Pope Innocent XII (Antonio Pignatelli) in 1691.
07.05.2025 14:03 β π 0 π 0 π¬ 1 π 0
A black and white engraving of St Peter's Basilica, the Vatican, with angels above and lettering below.
Two images of the cardinals processing for the start of the conclave and greeting the new Pope.
An image of the whole print, in black and white, depicting a plan of the Vatican, St. Peter's Basilica, and scenes from the ceremonies associated with the death of Alexander VIII and the election of Pope Innocent XII at the edges.
To mark the beginning of the Papal conclave, here's a few details from 'Nuova et esatta pianta del conclave..' published by Giovanni Giacomo de Rossi. It dates from 1691, and appears in Samuel Pepys's 'Stampe di Roma' print albums.
07.05.2025 14:03 β π 0 π 0 π¬ 1 π 0A lovely picture of the library!
30.04.2025 09:45 β π 1 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0Hot off the (Cambridge University) press, and already in the Pepys Scholars' Library - the Pepys Library reference collection at Magdalene. #camlibs
30.04.2025 09:42 β π 2 π 1 π¬ 0 π 0Interested in the conservation of rare books and manuscripts? Check out our 'Back a Book' fundraising initiative for the Pepys Library, Old Library and Archives:
19.03.2025 09:02 β π 1 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0Thank you!
07.03.2025 15:10 β π 1 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0
