Description

Unchanged for over three hundred years, the dark oak bookcases and wire cages of Marsh’s Library hold one of the world’s most spectacular collections of early modern intellectual thought. Marsh’s Library: A Mirror on the World offers readers a brilliant guided tour through the history and treasures of this magnificent institution, founded in 1707 by Archbishop Narcissus Marsh.

This elegant text explores how the library’s vast collection of over 25,000 rare books and manuscripts serves as a fascinating snapshot of global science, theology, medicine, and travel during the Renaissance and Enlightenment. Filled with rich anecdotes about the eccentric scholars who walked its halls, the political scandals that threatened its safety, and the ghostly atmosphere of its reading rooms, this book brings a cornerstone of Dublin’s architectural and intellectual heritage to life.

Key features of this historic library profile:

• Stunning Visual Highlights: Includes gorgeous full-color prints showcasing rare bindings, early maps, and beautiful structural architecture.

• Enlightenment Era Focus: Explores the vast ranges of 17th and 18th-century intellectual history, science controversies, and theological debates.

• Cornerstone Dublin Lore: An essential volume for bibliophiles, historians of the book, and anyone who loves Dublin’s architectural heritage.