A History of the Cambridge University Press, 1521-1921Roberts, S. C. (Sydney Castle)
History
A History of the Cambridge University Press, 1521-1921
Roberts, S. C. (Sydney Castle)
Cambridge University Press -- Bibliography; Cambridge University Press -- History
Distinction between the organic unity of general history and the
sum of national histories, as the principle for selecting and
distributing matter.
Proportion between historic thought and historic fact.
Chart and compass for the coming century.
Lord Acton, however, did not live to carry out the work and the
editorship was entrusted to Sir A. W. Ward, Sir G. W. Prothero, and
Sir Stanley Leathes.
The first of the volumes of text appeared in 1902 and the whole
work was completed by a general index published in 1912.
This plan of co-operative history has been adopted by the Syndics
in several other branches of learning: _The Cambridge History of
English Literature_ was completed under the editorship of Sir A.
W. Ward and Mr A. R. Waller in 1916, and other works in progress
are _The Cambridge Medieval History_, _The Cambridge History of
India_, _The Cambridge History of British Foreign Policy_, and _The
Cambridge Ancient History_.
Another important undertaking was the publication of the eleventh
edition of the _Encyclopaedia Britannica_ in 1911.
* * * * *
Short of summarising the forty-five main subject-headings of the
current catalogue, it would be difficult--as well as invidious--to
enter into further detail concerning the modern publications of
the Cambridge University Press. It may suffice to note that in the
years immediately preceding the war the average annual output of
new books, exclusive of journals, was 150. This figure excludes, of
course, the various editions of Cambridge bibles and prayer-books:
at the present time there are, apart from the various styles of
binding, 26 different editions of the Authorised, and 19 of the
Revised Version; 19 editions of the English, and 6 of the Scottish
prayer-book; of the latter, as of the new Canadian prayer-book, the
Syndics are the sole publishers.
During the war both the printing and publishing businesses
suffered from shortage of personnel, of metal, and of paper. Two
hundred and fifty-two servants of the Syndics joined His Majesty's
forces and of these forty-one were killed, or died, on service.
In conclusion, it may be remarked that the method of the government
of the Press by a body of Syndics appointed by the Senate of the
university has, with certain important modifications, persisted
since 1698.
The constitution of the Syndicate has been more than once
revised--notably in 1782 and 1855--and the length of a Syndic's
tenure of office varied from time to time. The present body
consists of the Vice-Chancellor (_ex officio_) and fourteen
Syndics; the term of appointment is seven years and two Syndics
retire each year. The first permanent secretary, Mr R. T. Wright,
formerly Fellow of Christ's College, was appointed in 1892; on his
retirement in 1911 he was succeeded by the present secretary, Mr A.
R. Waller, of Peterhouse.
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