The past few days have presented a wealth of experiences--from the mundane (doing laundry communally--now there is a bonding experience!) to the sublime (requesting books in the Duke Humphrey Library). But far from settling in to a quiet academic life, there is a buzz about Oxford with the filming of the Philip Pullman novel, His Dark Materials. There are thick bundles of cables running through the lane from St. Edmund hall to the Bodleian Library, an instant Victorian scene created by pouring gravel onto the lane, and a strange dirigible light set-up that floats eerily in the night sky.Yesterday, we all recited our pledge at the Bodleian not to remove, mark, deface or injure in any way the materials in the library and--most important--"not to bring into the Library or kindle therein any fire of flame, and not to smoke in the library." So far, at least as far as we know, all the members of the group have adhered to their solemn pledge. Erika even took the pledge in Latin!
Today we had a tour of Oxford University Press, heroic publishers of the quixotic and much beloved Oxford English Dictionary. James Murray took on this vast project in its initial stage. It is amazing that this icon of scholarship is based on thousands of slips of handwritten notes from hundreds of scholars. Murray's eleven children helped organize and alphabetize the entries! Though scholarship seems monumental, it is also so human and so ephemeral. Our fearless leaders, John and Jim, took a turn at the press.
