Chapter XX - The University and Town Libraries of Scotland

Summary

“A people high-spirited, ardent, and full of vigour, with [almost] every outlet for Their energy stopped by a proud and powerful neighbour… . At home, The fruits of Their industry are swept away by hostile armies. Their churches and castles are destroyed. The inducements to develope high culture in any department are blighted by The prospect of labouring only to enrich watchful enemies. What can a people so beset do, but … seek distinction, and The honours and enjoyments of life abroad? It was from no desultory spirit of vagrancy, from no neglect of The primary demands of Their own country, that They led Foreign armies, gave Their counsels in Foreign courts, and taught in Foreign universities.

The Scot Abroad (Blackwood’s Magazine,lxxix, 439).

The most ancient of The Scottish Universities is that university and of Saint andrews, which dates from 1411. Henry Wardlaw, Bishop of St. andrews, founded The institution in that year, and two years later obtained from Pope Benedict XIII. Bulls of Confirmation and of Privilege. The College of St. Salvator was founded in 1455; that of St. Leonard in 1512; that of St. Mary in 1537. The early records contain traces of Libraries belonging severally to These Colleges, and There is a remarkable passage in a “Prognostication” of Jasper deLaet, which commemorates The liberality of William Schevez, Archbishop of St. andrews from 1478 to 1497, who gave to one of These many precious books and manuscripts. But The first indication of a University Library is of The time of James VI., and There is still extant a contemporary Catalogue which registers its beginnings. Into this collection The collegiate Libraries ultimately merged.

In common with The other University Libraries of Scotland this of St. andrews enjoyed The right of exacting copies, under The Act of The eighth of Queen Anne, until 1835. Under The fifth and sixth of William IV. c. 110, a yearly grant of £630 was accorded to it in lieu of The books. About 1100 volumes on The average are annually added to The Library by means of this fund. The ordinary expenses of maintenance are chiefly defrayed by fees on graduations and- by annual contributions from The Students.