The Victorian period saw a huge growth in literacy in the British Isles. In 1841, around 2/3 of adult men were literate and 1/2 of adult women were literate. By the end of the century, literacy was almost universal, with 97% of all adults able to read. As the lower classes joined the ranks of …
This year marks the 150th anniversary of the publication of Matthew Arnold’s important collection New Poems (Macmillan, 1867). The collection contains some of Arnold’s best known poems, such as “Dover Beach,” “Stanzas from the Grande Chartreuse,” and “Thyrsis.” It also reprints his long poem “Empedocles on Etna,” which Arnold first published in 1852 and then …
For Women’s History month, today’s post features some of our newest literary acquisitions by women authors, across several genres, from Victorian sensation fiction to the how-to book. VICTORIAN NOVELS Harriet Rakes, The Marriage Contract. London, 1849. Call number: Victorian Collection PR 5205 .R68 M3 1849 Elizabeth Missing Sewell, Ivors, or The Two Cousins. London, 1856. …
New Year’s Day marked the anniversary of the birth of Anglo-Irish author Maria Edgeworth (1767 or 1768-1849). Edgeworth was one of the most prolific and successful novelists of the early 19th century. Edgeworth’s earliest publications were children’s stories and treatises on education, but in 1800, she burst on the scene as a novelist with Castle …
Today marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of novelist Herbert George Wells. Best known for his science fiction, Wells’ first career was as a science teacher. His first forays at publishing were educational articles and even a science textbook (pictured at the left)! Special Collections’ Victorian and Edwardian Collection is home to numerous first …
The library’s newest exhibit, “Comics & Mormons,” features 20th and 21st century examples of comics and graphic novels from Special Collections, but hidden among the rare book collections are older comics from the 19th century. This post features one of the first British comic strips, “Ally Sloper.” The recurring character “Ally Sloper” first appeared in …
Special Collections’ newest small exhibit, The Tale of Beatrix Potter, commemorates the 150th anniversary of the birth of Beatrix Potter. The exhibit, which runs through the end of August, was curated by the Spring/Summer Special Collections interns. Beatrix Potter was born in 1866 in the United Kingdom. In her earliest years, she proved to be …
Special Collections’ newest small exhibit features the work of late 19th/early 20th century illustrator Arthur Rackham (1867-1939). Rackham’s art graced the pages of many beloved works of late Victorian and Edwardian literature, such as Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens and The Wind in the Willows. Arthur Rackham: His Art and Imagination features over a dozen …
2016 kicks off a four-year commemoration of the life and works of siblings Charlotte (1816-1855), Branwell (1817-1848), Emily (1818-1848) and Anne Brontë (1820-1849). During the month of May, Special Collections will exhibit first editions of the Brontë sisters’ poems and novels. The exhibit will also examine how the Brontë family was memorialized in the 19th …
Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Celebrate with a book of Irish literature! Special Collections owns many first editions of literary works by Irish writers of the 19th and 20th centuries, from prolific novelist Charles Lever to modernist provocateur James Joyce. Here are a few suggestions to get your celebration started, whatever your literary taste: Start traditionally …