Unidad documental simple 10a.9 - Manuscript translations by Charles William King: 'Mineralogy of the Ancients'

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Código de referencia

O./10a.9

Título

Manuscript translations by Charles William King: 'Mineralogy of the Ancients'

Fecha(s)

  • 1864 (Creación)

Nivel de descripción

Unidad documental simple

Volumen y soporte

1 vol., quarter bound in white leather and marbled paper. 295 ff plus flyleaves; loose single sheets inserted between ff 147-148 and between ff 274-275. Slips tipped or pasted in on verso of ff. 97, 99, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 114, 115, 117, 121, 122, 123, 128, 130, 134, 139 and 156.

Área de contexto

Nombre del productor

(1818-1888)

Historia biográfica

C. W. King was born on 4 September 1818 at Newport in Monmouthshire and entered Trinity College in 1836. He graduated with first class honours in the Classical Tripos of 1840 and was elected a Fellow of Trinity in 1842. He remained a Fellow all his life and lived in College for most of that time, except for the period 1845–50, which he spent chiefly in Italy.
During his residence on the continent King was able to pursue various antiquarian interests, in particular the study of engraved gems which was to occupy him for the rest of his life. He began to acquire examples of such work, and by a series of judicious purchases over the following years he formed an important collection of Greek, Roman and other early gems. Towards the end of his life he sold the collection. It is now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

Returning from Italy in 1850, King adopted a quiet existence at Trinity, publishing a number of works on antiquarian subjects, including Antique Gems (1850), Handbook of Engraved Gems (1866, 1885), and Early Christian Numismatics and other Antiquarian Tracts (1873), besides many papers contributed to joirnals and learned societies. He also wrote on The Gnostics and their Remains (1864) and translated works of classical literature such as Plutarch's Morals (1882). Although he took no part in College teaching or administration, King was by no means reclusive; he formed longstanding friendships both at Trinity and elsewhere, and was often consulted as an authority by the gem collectors his works had helped to inspire.

In later years King was troubled with failing eyesight, and he was obliged to give up the detailed close work his collecting demanded. But he continued to study and write, and was in regular correspondence until shortly before his death, which occurred after a short illness on 25 March 1888.

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Origen del ingreso o transferencia

Bequeathed by C.W. King.

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Alcance y contenido

'Ancient Mineralogists' on spine. MS 'title page' on f. 1: 'Mineralogy of the Ancients. | The extant treatises of | Theophrastus, Orpheus, Plutarch or Parthenius, Epiphanius, Psellus, Marbodus, Mohammad ben Mansur. | Translated with Introduction and Notes | By C. W. King, M.A. | Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge.'

A preface follows, which is dated 1 Feb. 1864. 'These translations formed part of the materials collected to serve in the composition of an extensive and detailed treatise upon the Natural History of Precious Stones and Metals... in course of preparation for the press' [published in 1865].

Translations on various sizes and types of paper bound into one volume. Most sections have a list of contents at the front.

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      Nota de publicación

      King's *The natural history, ancient and modern, of precious stones and gems, and of precious metals' was published by Bell & Daldry in 1865. However, though King's preface to the present MS states that he has been recommended to publish his translations by the Professor of Mineralogy at Oxford, they do not seem to have reached the press.

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      O.10a.9

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