I came across these petitions. If anyone isn't already convinced that paleography is important for us, today, read the opinion of some of the foremost paleographers of our days.
http://www.palaeographia.org/cipl/actu/paleoatkings.htm
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Manuscripts
I nearly forgot. But it dawned on me today that, in fact, the title of this blog is exactly what I wanted it to be. It is a phrase from a poem in an early printed Hebrew book, praising the new invention of printing. Books thus produced are, as it were, written with many pens - and not with only one as were manuscripts. The plain meaning is, of course, that a scribe used to write slowly, word after word, sentence by sentence, page by page. The printing press is much faster and more efficient, as if 10 or 100 scribes were working simultaneously. But for me, the expression did also present the possibility to write about many subjects. More than that, though, it reflects my passion - no, not for early print, though that is what it obviously refers to. But I have an earlier love. I always had a love for writing. I always wanted to write, and when I say 'write' I mean as much the physical act of writing as the putting of thoughts on paper. As long as I remember I loved handwriting, both doing it and seeing it. That love received a big boost when I was studying Hebrew in the Rijksuniversiteit Leiden. For some reason I took a course that didn't belong to my field. If you know me at all, you won't be surprised that I did. Being interested in 'something else' is my middle name. Whatever one doesn't have to do is always much more enjoyable. So it happened that I took a course in the history department. And - I know it sounds corny - it changed my life...
The course - I believe it was called "Western handschriftkunde" - was several hours each week - for a year. Under the inspired teaching of Prof. J. P. Gumbert we learned the beginnings of the codicology and paleography of Western medieval manuscripts. I was fascinated. I loved the hours of seeing real medieval manuscripts in the Leiden University Library. I loved the few hours in which we practiced the different medieval scripts. I decided to write my final paper on a manuscript.
Without that course I wouldn't have written my final paper for Semitic languages on a Hebrew manuscript. Without that paper I wouldn't have arrived in Israel. Without arriving in Israel I wouldn't have stayed. And, without staying in Israel I wouldn't have met my husband.
So I am much indebted to that course in all kinds of ways. But first of all, I acquired a love that I can neglect, ignore, forget, but it will always come back. And when it comes back it is there, as if it has never gone. The love for medieval manuscripts. I can't explain it. I don't do much with it. For some time I thought it would become the focus of my life, the main subject I would be working in. But it hasn't. I am writing with many pens, and I like many of them. But this particular pen... in my heart of hearts I still wish that one day I might be privileged to be working with manuscripts.
The course - I believe it was called "Western handschriftkunde" - was several hours each week - for a year. Under the inspired teaching of Prof. J. P. Gumbert we learned the beginnings of the codicology and paleography of Western medieval manuscripts. I was fascinated. I loved the hours of seeing real medieval manuscripts in the Leiden University Library. I loved the few hours in which we practiced the different medieval scripts. I decided to write my final paper on a manuscript.
Without that course I wouldn't have written my final paper for Semitic languages on a Hebrew manuscript. Without that paper I wouldn't have arrived in Israel. Without arriving in Israel I wouldn't have stayed. And, without staying in Israel I wouldn't have met my husband.
So I am much indebted to that course in all kinds of ways. But first of all, I acquired a love that I can neglect, ignore, forget, but it will always come back. And when it comes back it is there, as if it has never gone. The love for medieval manuscripts. I can't explain it. I don't do much with it. For some time I thought it would become the focus of my life, the main subject I would be working in. But it hasn't. I am writing with many pens, and I like many of them. But this particular pen... in my heart of hearts I still wish that one day I might be privileged to be working with manuscripts.
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