L Languages, Ancient and Modern

Languages, Ancient and Modern

The teaching of languages has always been taken very seriously at Marlborough, a tradition maintained against national trends to this day.

The holdings of the Rare Books The holdings of the Rare Books collection offer ample evidence of collection offer ample evidence of this respect for European languages, this respect for European languages, ancient and modern, with ancient and modern, with outstanding treasures of classical outstanding treasures of classical literature in both Greek and Latin, literature in both Greek and Latin, but also in the ancient Hebrew but also in the ancient Hebrew tongue. Of current languages, there tongue. Of current languages, there are notable books by French, Italian, are notable books by French, Italian, German and Spanish authors. German and Spanish authors.

The finest Greek book The finest Greek book is the first complete is the first complete edition of Aristophanes’ edition of Aristophanes’ plays, published in plays, published in Basel in 1532 with Basel in 1532 with a printer’s device by a printer’s device by Hans Holbein the Hans Holbein the Younger. The text of the Younger. The text of the 11 extant plays was prepared 11 extant plays was prepared by the German humanist and by the German humanist and reformer, Simon Grynaeus, an reformer, Simon Grynaeus, an associate of Erasmus, Thomas associate of Erasmus, Thomas

More and John Calvin. Also More and John Calvin. Also notable is the edition of the notable is the edition of the Anthologia Graeca Anthologia Graeca published published in 1566 by the great French in 1566 by the great French Renaissance printer, Henri Renaissance printer, Henri Estienne. The College owns the Estienne. The College owns the personal copy of a book belonging personal copy of a book belonging to Estienne’s father, Robert, a Greek to Estienne’s father, Robert, a Greek edition of Josephus from 1544. There edition of Josephus from 1544. There are many works of Latin literature, are many works of Latin literature, among them editions of Ovid by the among them editions of Ovid by the Dutch scholar, Nicolaas Heinsius Dutch scholar, Nicolaas Heinsius (1662), of Diogenes Laertius by the (1662), of Diogenes Laertius by the Danish Royal Librarian, Marcus Danish Royal Librarian, Marcus Meibomius (1692), and of Horace’s Meibomius (1692), and of Horace’s poems and Terence’s comedies by the poems and Terence’s comedies by the famous Oxford philologist, Richard famous Oxford philologist, Richard Bentley (1723 and 1726). Bentley (1723 and 1726). Among the Italian books is a 1573 Among the Italian books is a 1573 edition of Giovanni Boccaccio’s edition of Giovanni Boccaccio’s Decameron Decameron purged on the orders of purged on the orders of the Inquisition of its more salacious the Inquisition of its more salacious tales about abbots and abbesses. tales about abbots and abbesses. The College’s six-volume set of The College’s six-volume set of Ludovico Ariosto’s Ludovico Ariosto’s Orlando Furioso was published in London in 1815 was published in London in 1815 for British readers eager to access for British readers eager to access romance literature and romance literature and belles-lettres belles-lettres in the original languages, a trend in the original languages, a trend also exemplified by 29 volumes of also exemplified by 29 volumes of the works of Jean-Jacques Rousseau the works of Jean-Jacques Rousseau published published à Londres à Londres between 1782 between 1782 and 1802. The 70 handsome volumes and 1802. The 70 handsome volumes of Voltaire’s of Voltaire’s Oeuvres Complètes Oeuvres Complètes, , published in Paris in 1784, bear two published in Paris in 1784, bear two interesting ownership marks, the first interesting ownership marks, the first for Prince Frederick, son of George for Prince Frederick, son of George III, and the second for Sheridan, the III, and the second for Sheridan, the Irish playwright. French literature Irish playwright. French literature from an earlier era is represented from an earlier era is represented by multi-volume collections by the by multi-volume collections by the triumvirate of Racine, Molière and triumvirate of Racine, Molière and Corneille, the latter in an edition Corneille, the latter in an edition of 1762 graced with an outstanding of 1762 graced with an outstanding suite of plates by Hubert-François suite of plates by Hubert-François Gravelot, one-time drawing master Gravelot, one-time drawing master of Thomas Gainsborough. of Thomas Gainsborough.