Book of Benefactors

Martin Lister Esq., the son of a Knight ...

Latin Text:

MARTINUS LISTER Armiger, Equitis Aurati filius, Medicin

Translation:

Martin Lister Esq., the son of a Knight, was awarded a Doctorate in Medicine for which he had not himself supplicated but which was spontaneously conferred on him by the University of Oxford; he had no foreknowledge of this, but amply deserved it. He was famous for his deeds and his writings; and in order to further the study of Natural History, he enriched this museum collection with shells of all kinds, from the sea, from the rivers and from the land; also freshwater mussels; formed stones and fluors, and various types of gypsum, mica, talc and metals of all kinds, most of which come from England. Furthermore, to preserve the past for posterity, he generously gave the Museum a large number of antiquities, Roman as well as British, which included altars, medals, rings and seals.

This most excellent of men, to make complete his generous gift, also gave the Museum a variety of books, listed in his own catalogue, illustrating different aspects of Natural History.

Location:Natural History speciments were transferred to the Oxford University Museum of Natural History in 1860. Books and manuscripts were transferred to the Bodleian Library in 1860.

Year:MDCLXXXIII (1683);  Page Number: 8 (recto), 8 (verso)