Professor Charles MacDouall Collection

The MacDouall Collection is significant for reflecting the research interests of a reputable 19th century academic. Its strengths focus primarily on philology, languages and general literature.

Collection of general literature, Sanskrit and comparative philology from the personal library of Charles MacDouall (1818-1883), first Professor of Latin at Queen's College, Belfast (1849-50) and second Professor of Greek (1850-78). The collection includes material relating to Classical, Eastern and Middle Eastern languages, and comparative philology, principally from the first half of the 19th century. The collection also includes examples of traditional folk tales and ballads from a variety of countries, and numerous dictionaries, primers and other general works. Born near Edinburgh in 1813. Educated at Edinburgh High School and the University of Edinburgh. He was elected Professor of Hebrew at the University in 1847, but his appointment was interdicted by the Edinburgh Presbytery. MacDouall then went on to join the fledgling Queen's College, Belfast in 1849 as Professor of Latin, although swiftly transferring to Professor of Greek when the chair became available in July 1850. He remained at Queen's, where he was a solid favourite amongst his students, until his retirement in 1878. He died a few years later in Belfast during 1883. Publications: Inaugural lecture on the study of oriental languages, (with C.P. Reichel); A letter to the President of Queen's College, Belfast, on some recent alterations in the course of the Queen's University (1861, printed privately); The Origin of the Legend of the Holy Grail (1903, with an introduction by A.L. Meissner, QUB Librarian).

Open to consultation. Material available inb the following languages - English, Latin, Sanskrit, German, French, Hindi, Hindustani, Urdu, Bengali, Norwegian, Swedish, Welsh, Gaelic, Chinese, Greek, Arabic, Italian

description compiled by Clare McVeigh (RASCAL Project) and entered by Deirdre Wildy, Special Collections

Details of the MacDouall Collection can be found on the QUB on-line catalogue (QCAT) within the Special Collections sub-division and is accessible via http://www.qub.ac.uk/lib/ Queen's University Belfast, The Library Shelf Catalogue, Vol. IX, Section B (Typescript ledger shelflist: Refs B7, B9, B16-18).

Photocopying permitted depending on physical condition of the original and relevant copyright restrictions.

The collection was presented to the Library by friends and former pupils of MacDouall in 1879 after the items were bought using money raised in a special fund to mark MacDouall's retirement from the College in 1878.

Closed. Open to consultation.