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Stay up to date with the latest from Magdalene, including College announcements, academic achievements, alumni updates, feature articles, and highlights from recent events.
The Elzevier Dynasty
Magdalene College’s Old Library holds works by Louis Elzevier, founder of the renowned publishing dynasty. His influence is seen in miniature editions, book auctions, and the collection of Samuel Pepys.
Frankfurt Book Fair
Magdalene College’s Old Library holds rare 17th-century Frankfurt Book Fair catalogues, including an ad for Shakespeare’s First Folio, highlighting the international interest in his work.
Gates Cambridge Scholarships Awarded
Magdalene congratulates Christopher Molteno and Dylan Gaffney on receiving Gates Cambridge Scholarships, awarded to exceptional international postgraduates at the University of Cambridge.
Margaret Cavendish
Margaret Cavendish, Duchess of Newcastle, authored works on science and natural philosophy. Magdalene College holds several of her books, which reflect her bold challenge to gender norms in publishing.
Ferrar Diaries
In 1821, King George VI visited Ireland, symbolising hopes for improved Anglo-Irish relations. Michael Ferrar's diaries offer a critical yet detailed account of the royal visit and public reaction.
Game of Goose
This 17th-century Royal Game of the Goose from the Pepys Library is the earliest known English version of the game and is still available today as a high-quality print.
Lives of the Artists
Magdalene holds the 1647 Bologna edition of The Lives of the Artists, Vasari’s celebrated Renaissance art history, with Carlo Manolessi’s notes and preface.
Literary Magdalene: Thomas Hardy
At Thomas Hardy’s Abbey funeral in 1928, pallbearers included the PM, opposition leader, and the Master of Magdalene, where Hardy was an Honorary Fellow.
William Empson
William Empson, poet and critic, began at Magdalene in Maths, turned to English, and helped reshape literary study before being expelled in 1929 for "engines of love".
C.S. Lewis
Professor Helen Cooper shares a vivid portrait of C. S. Lewis at Magdalene, from a lost hymn to a playful poem, revealing the wit and warmth behind his scholarly reputation.
Literary Magdalene
Magdalene is launching a blog series exploring its rich literary archive, with posts on Eliot, Heaney, Duffy, Hardy and more, drawing from manuscripts, letters and rare books.