Antiquarianism, science and networks of knowledge: The archives of the Spalding Gentlemen's Society, 1710-1760

古物研究、科学和知识网络：斯伯丁绅士协会的档案，1710-1760 年

• 批准号: 2103796
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: University of Leicester
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Studentship
• 财政年份: 2018
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2018 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=studentship-2103796
• 关键词: Antiquarianism; science; networks; knowledge; archives

Whilst some of the Spalding Gentlemen's Society's (SGS) records have been published, and research undertaken into certain aspects of the its life, much is yet to be discovered about how the SGS saw itself in relation to London societies and those groups closer to home (notably the Peterborough Gentlemen's Society, the circle who supported Wisbech Town Library, and collectors and antiquarians at Cambridge). Maurice Johnson's personal papers (scattered between a number of institutions) will provide further evidence of the exchange of antiquarian knowledge during this period and will tell us much about the inter-connected nature of early eighteenth-century antiquarianism. What, too, can they tell us about the conflict between the public and private aspects of members' involvement with the SGS; although correspondence was read aloud at meetings it is clear than some members wanted private letters to remain just that. Does the role of such correspondence take on a new significance bearing in mind that the SGS - unlike some of the London societies - did not publish its research? The role of the Society's two tangible collections - of books and objects - would be key to my research, given my interests in the history of books and collecting. What place did books have in the exchange of knowledge both within the SGS and between societies; new publications were acquired from London, members were asked to give money for the purchase of books and discussions were had with other societies on the best ways to manage the growing collection. Gifts of books, and the copying of historic documents, also cemented friendships, forging links between societies and their members. How did the SGS's collections further their objectives as a learned society, and were these similar to those of comparable collections like those of the Royal Society (did their 1681 catalogue influence how the SGS organised their own objects, for example?). Furthermore, what similarities are there, if any, between the ways in which the SGS and London coffeehouses operated, particularly in the field of gathering news; the SGS began its life in the coffeehouse, and knowledge exchange, books and camaraderie were key to the existence of both institutions. In addition to improving our knowledge of the workings of one of the most significant provincial learned societies of the period, and situating it within broader trends of eighteenth-century antiquarianism, my research into Maurice Johnson and the SGS will have wider implications for a number of fields, including the history of science (many of the Society's interests are what we might today classify as scientific), museum studies, social history (especially in the development of epistolary networks between town and country) and local history.

虽然斯伯丁绅士协会(SGS)的一些记录已经出版，并对斯伯丁绅士协会(SGS)生活的某些方面进行了研究，但关于SGS如何看待自己与伦敦社会和那些离家更近的团体(特别是彼得伯勒绅士协会、支持维斯贝赫镇图书馆的圈子以及剑桥的收藏家和古董家)之间的关系，仍有许多有待发现的地方。莫里斯·约翰逊的个人文件(散布在许多机构中)将提供这一时期古董知识交换的进一步证据，并将告诉我们许多关于18世纪早期古物主义相互关联的性质。他们还能告诉我们关于成员参与SGS的公开和私人方面之间的冲突；尽管在会议上朗读了信件，但很明显，一些成员希望私人信件保持不变。考虑到SGS--与伦敦的一些社团不同--没有发表其研究成果，这类信件的作用是否具有新的意义？鉴于我对书史和收藏史的兴趣，学会两个有形藏品--书籍和物品--的作用将是我研究的关键。书籍在SGS内部和社会之间的知识交流中都有什么地位；从伦敦购买了新的出版物，成员被要求支付购买书籍的费用，并与其他协会讨论了管理不断增加的藏书的最佳方式。赠送书籍和复制历史文献也巩固了友谊，在社会及其成员之间建立了联系。SGS的藏品如何推进其作为学术社会的目标，这些藏品与皇家学会等同类藏品相似吗(例如，他们1681年的目录是否影响了SGS组织自己的物品的方式？)此外，SGS和伦敦咖啡馆的经营方式有什么相似之处，特别是在收集新闻方面；SGS是在咖啡馆开始运作的，知识交流、书籍和同志情谊是这两个机构存在的关键。除了提高我们对当时最重要的省级学术学会之一的运作的了解，并将其置于18世纪古物主义的更广泛趋势中，我对莫里斯·约翰逊和SGS的研究将对许多领域产生更广泛的影响，包括科学史(学会的许多兴趣是我们今天可以归类为科学的)、博物馆研究、社会史(特别是在城镇和乡村之间书信网的发展)和地方史。