The Revised Classified Materia Medica is a revision of Chinese medical encyclopedia, Materia Medica with Evidence, compiled by Tang Shenwei in the Song dynasty (1097-1100). This book was published...Show moreThe Revised Classified Materia Medica is a revision of Chinese medical encyclopedia, Materia Medica with Evidence, compiled by Tang Shenwei in the Song dynasty (1097-1100). This book was published and reprinted many times by different publishers in history. Why this medical encyclopedia enjoyed such a great success and popularity over five hundred years, especially in the Ming dynasty? Following Darnton’s communication circuit model, this thesis investigates individual phases in the circuit to present those editions published by commercial publishers, new players with a growing influence on the publishing market, during the late Ming dynasty. Specific political, social, economic and cultural factors in the late Ming dynasty can explain the enduring success of this medical encyclopedia during that period. The highly commercialized Ming economy and the development of science and technology gave rise to a booming printing industry. And the flourishing state of the late Ming commercial publishing industry and the popularity of regularly used self-help information books further stimulated the production and wide distribution of commercially published illustrated medical works. Besides, against the background of recurrent and persistent epidemics, and because of the long-established values of Neo-Confucian philosophy, the growing class of literati developed a habit of reading medical texts for self-treatment and caring for their family members. Revised Classified Materia Medica even found its way to some neighboring countries of China, but genuine western readers of Chinese books would not emerge until the nineteenth century.Show less
De Militaire Willemsorde, a Dutch play by Rosier Faassen, can be found in the Special Collections of the Leiden University Library. It exists in several different versions, in print as well as a...Show moreDe Militaire Willemsorde, a Dutch play by Rosier Faassen, can be found in the Special Collections of the Leiden University Library. It exists in several different versions, in print as well as a manuscript in beautiful nineteenth century script, dating from 1873 until presumably 1885. This historical drama about a family torn apart by a young soldier going to war had never since been edited. After all these years, a new edition was made so that yet again this humorous play with experiences recognizable to many generations can be performed and studied anew. Furthermore, a biographical element also appears in the edition whereby parts of Faassen’s auto-biography, which also has not been edited since the late nineteenth century, was used. To provide access to the text for a broader audience, the text was translated from Dutch to English. Much of the same considerations being used to edit the text were also used to prepare the translation. Hunter’s Editing Early Modern Texts as well as Mathijsen’s Naar de Letter was used in the editing process, as a framework and point of guidance. The edition takes the form of what Mathijsen calls a ‘study-edition’ , and contains a historical, critical edition of the text, as well as a justification of the choice of copy text, extensive commentary on the text, including historical and biographical information as well as a stylistic analysis of the text (based on Leech and Short). The translation is preceded by a theoretical framework on the process and strategies that were used in the translation of this drama from the nineteenth century. The overall procedure for the translation of the text was centered around the notions of domestication versus foreignization (Venuti) as well as notions of historicization and modernization, and performability (Bassnett and Lefevere). Vinay and Darbelnet’s translation procedures were discussed and used in the annotated translation, to describe the procedures used for the variety of translation problems that arose during the process. Lefevere’s work on translation as rewriting is especially relevant here, as he also remarks that “the same basic process of rewriting is at work in translation, historiography, anthologization, criticism, and editing” (9). In Lefevere’s words lies the suggestion that a natural relationship exists between translation studies and the world of the editor and philologist, which in reality seems to be a struggled one. Translation is often underrated by philologists, with their translated texts being used for instrumental purposes. A discussion about the mutual importance of translation and philology, and the recognition awarded in their respective fields was necessary here. The question: “How can the fields of philology and translation be reconciled in the edition and translation of De Militaire Willemsorde?” is answered in the final chapter.Show less
This thesis examines the buying behaviour of Dutch women during the eighteenth century and determines whether a change can be detected in the kinds of works that women bought. The research is based...Show moreThis thesis examines the buying behaviour of Dutch women during the eighteenth century and determines whether a change can be detected in the kinds of works that women bought. The research is based on the female customers that came to Luchtmans, an academic bookshop in Leiden, and thus the main source of this study is the extensive archive that the firm has left behind. At the start of the eighteenth century, a wealthy mother primarily visited the shop to purchase school books for her young children. However, as the century progressed, an increasing number of unmarried women came to buy newspapers and novels, as they had more freedom to pursue their own interests. Although these women were certainly not representative of the general female population in Leiden, an interesting shift presented itself when comparing women from two time periods in the eighteenth century.Show less
