On Fri, Sep 24, 2010 at 7:56 AM, Hannibal Hamlin
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> the libraries
> available to Spenser, especially at Cambridge. As I recall, these have been
> catalogued and studied.
Kaske organized a session about this at the Cambridge Spenser
conference in 2000. Adams's catalogue of the Cambridge libraries lists
books that were available _when he conducted the census_. But many of
these were acquired in the sixteenth century. I.e., "being in Adams"
does not equal "available to Spenser." A catalogue of Roffie's library
would be a good idea if there isn't one already. What I puzzle over
are the books that Spenser had (or could borrow) in Ireland. What was
in L. Bryskett's library? Or Barnabe Googe's? There was a book trade
with Bristol, but it was mostly textbooks. And yet, somehow, Spenser
found an authorized text of Tasso, and absorbed it while he was there.
So someone was bringing in new, Continental works of literature.
Bryskett is my best guess, but that's as far as I've gotten.
--
Dr. David Wilson-Okamura http://virgil.org [log in to unmask]
English Department Virgil reception, discussion, documents, &c
East Carolina University Sparsa et neglecta coegi. -- Claude Fauchet
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