Victorian societies for text publication
Encyclopedia
Victorian societies for text publication were learned societies, in the United Kingdom of the nineteenth century, existing principally or having as a main function to produce scholarly editions of old works of historical or literary interest. At the time they were often called "book clubs".
The Society of Antiquaries of London
dates from 1707, the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland
from 1780. The Roxburghe Club
was founded in 1812 by a group of bibliophiles, each of whom undertook to sponsor a publication, The Bannatyne Club
was set up to print works of interest for Scottish tradition, literature and history, by Sir Walter Scott, a Roxburghe Club member. It was the precursor to quite a numerous population of similar specialized groups. Some of those were:
These societies often suffered from financial and organizational troubles. Publication typically was funded by subscription, meaning that success was dependent on fund-raising. From the 1850s the official Rolls Series
occupied some of the territory of these amateur ventures.
Controversy followed Frederick James Furnivall
, a prime mover in many of these ventures. He was involved too in the Philological Society
, not strictly a publisher of old texts, but the seed-bed for the New English Dictionary.
The Society of Antiquaries of London
Society of Antiquaries of London
The Society of Antiquaries of London is a learned society "charged by its Royal Charter of 1751 with 'the encouragement, advancement and furtherance of the study and knowledge of the antiquities and history of this and other countries'." It is based at Burlington House, Piccadilly, London , and is...
dates from 1707, the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland
Society of Antiquaries of Scotland
The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland is the senior antiquarian body in Scotland, with its headquarters in the National Museum, Chambers Street, Edinburgh...
from 1780. The Roxburghe Club
Roxburghe Club
The Roxburghe Club was formed on 17 June 1812 by leading bibliophiles, at the time the library of the Duke of Roxburghe was auctioned. It took 45 days to sell the entire collection. The first edition of Boccaccio's Decameron, printed by Chrisopher Valdarfer of Venice in 1471, was sold to the...
was founded in 1812 by a group of bibliophiles, each of whom undertook to sponsor a publication, The Bannatyne Club
Bannatyne Club
The Bannatyne Club was founded by Sir Walter Scott to print rare works of Scottish interest, whether in history, poetry, or general literature. It printed 116 volumes in all. It was dissolved in 1861....
was set up to print works of interest for Scottish tradition, literature and history, by Sir Walter Scott, a Roxburghe Club member. It was the precursor to quite a numerous population of similar specialized groups. Some of those were:
- Surtees SocietySurtees SocietyThe Surtees Society is a learned society based at Durham in northern England. The society was established on 27 May 1834 by James Raine, following the death of renowned County Durham antiquarian Robert Surtees...
(founded 1834) - Camden SocietyCamden SocietyThe Camden Society, named after the English antiquary and historian William Camden, was founded in 1838 in London to publish early historical and literary materials, both unpublished manuscripts and new editions of rare printed books....
publishing from 1838, merged with the Royal Historical SocietyRoyal Historical SocietyThe Royal Historical Society was founded in 1868. The premier society in the United Kingdom which promotes and defends the scholarly study of the past, it is based at University College London...
which took over its Camden Series - English Historical Society (1838), chronicles
- Percy SocietyPercy SocietyThe Percy Society was a British book-club. It was founded in 1840 and collapsed in 1852.It was a scholarly collective, aimed at publishing limited-edition books of rare poems and songs...
(1840) - Shakespeare Society (1841)
- Chetham SocietyChetham SocietyThe Chetham Society was founded in Manchester, England, in 1843, by James Crossley, a lawyer, and the Reverend Thomas Corser. The Society's stated aim is to maintain the "Historical and Literary Connected with the Palatine Counties of Lancaster and Chester"...
- Ælfric Society
- Caxton Society
- Early English Text SocietyEarly English Text SocietyThe Early English Text Society is an organization to reprint early English texts, especially those only available in manuscript. Most of its volumes are in Middle English and Old English...
(1864) - Chaucer Society (1868)
- Ballad Society (1868)
- New Shakspere Society (1874)
- Wyclif Society (1882)
- Pali Text SocietyPali Text SocietyThe Pali Text Society was founded in 1881 by T.W. Rhys Davids "to foster and promote the study of Pali texts".Pali is the language in which the texts of the Theravada school of Buddhism is preserved...
- Pipe Roll Society, founded 1883 by the Public Record OfficePublic Record OfficeThe Public Record Office of the United Kingdom is one of the three organisations that make up the National Archives...
- Saint Paul's Ecclesiological Society, an offshoot of the Cambridge Camden SocietyCambridge Camden SocietyThe Cambridge Camden Society, later known as the Ecclesiological Society from 1845 when it moved to London, was a learned architectural society founded in 1839 by undergraduates at Cambridge University to promote "the study of Gothic Architecture, and of Ecclesiastical Antiques." Its activities...
- Henry Bradshaw Society for the Editing of Rare Liturgical Texts (founded 1890)
- Palestine Pilgrims' Text SocietyPalestine Pilgrims' Text SocietyThe Palestine Pilgrims' Text Society, also known as PPTS, provides a collection of medieval documents, primarily chronicles of individual pilgrims such as during the Crusades. The society was established in London, for the purpose of providing translations of those documents which were written by...
These societies often suffered from financial and organizational troubles. Publication typically was funded by subscription, meaning that success was dependent on fund-raising. From the 1850s the official Rolls Series
Rolls Series
The Rolls Series, official title The Chronicles and Memorials of Great Britain and Ireland during the Middle Ages, is a major collection of British and Irish historical materials and primary sources, published in the second half of the 19th century. Some 255 volumes, representing 99 separate...
occupied some of the territory of these amateur ventures.
Controversy followed Frederick James Furnivall
Frederick James Furnivall
Frederick James Furnivall , one of the co-creators of the Oxford English Dictionary , was an English philologist...
, a prime mover in many of these ventures. He was involved too in the Philological Society
Philological Society
The Philological Society, or London Philological Society, is the oldest learned society in Great Britain dedicated to the study of language. The society was established in 1842 to "investigate and promote the study and knowledge of the structure, the affinities, and the history of languages"...
, not strictly a publisher of old texts, but the seed-bed for the New English Dictionary.
See also
- Revue de l'Orient LatinRevue de l'Orient LatinThe Revue de l'Orient latin is a 12-volume set of medieval documents which was published from 1893-1911. It was a continuation of the Archives de l'Orient latin, two volumes of which were published from 1881 - 1884. Various medieval documents and letters are often cited in other scholarly works...
, French collection of medieval documents - Bibliothèque de l'École des ChartesBibliothèque de l'École des ChartesThe Bibliothèque de l'École des Chartes is a journal dedicated to the study and use of medieval manuscripts. It was founded in 1839 and continues to provide bi-annual issues with articles and abstracts in French, English, and German. Starting in 1995, one issue each year is devoted to a...
- Bibliothèque des Ecoles françaises d'Athènes et de RomeBibliothèque des Ecoles françaises d'Athènes et de RomeBibliothèque des Écoles françaises d'Athènes et de Rome is the name of two series of historical documents, such as the letters of 13th century Popes during the Crusades....