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Article MEMOIR OF ELIAS ASHMOLE. ← Page 4 of 5 →
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Memoir Of Elias Ashmole.
made , especially by Dr . Seth Ward , Bishop of Salisbury , to procure his appointment as Walker ' s successor , but to both the Bishop and the Duke of Norfolk he declined the appointment , and Sir W . Dugdale was appointed to fill the vacancy . On the latter ' s death ,
on the 10 th January , 1686 , Ashmole Avas again offered and again declined the appointment . In October , 1677 , he determined to offer to the University of Oxford the collection of the Tradescants , together with a number of coins , MSS . and medals which he had himself added , on condition
that a suitable building was erected for its , reception . The offer was grtefully accepted . The first stoue of the Ashmolean Museum was laid on 15 th May , 1679 . In March , 1682 , it was completed , and in a feAV days , what was described as " twelve cartloads " of varieties were sent by Ashmole , and arranged by Dr . Plot , to whom Avas entrusted
the custody of the museum . These , when in order , were viewed first by the Duke and Duchess of York , who Avere accompanied by the Princess Anne , and afterwards by the Doctors and Masters of the University ; and a feAv months later ( 1683 ) letters were read from
Ashmole in Convocation , confirming the presentation , and beinganswered , of course , with the warmest thanks by Avay of acknowledgment . It is to be regretted , however , that in the interval between 1677 , Avhen the offer of the collection was made and the completion of the building for its reception , a fire should have broken out ( 26 th
January , 1679 ) in the chambers adjoining those of Ashmole , in the Middle Temple , by Avhich a library he had been engaged in collecting during three-and-thirty years , with as many as 9000 coins , ancient and modern , w ere totally destroyed . The memorable visit on the llth March , 1682 , to the Lodge of
Freemasons , held at Masons' Hall , hardly needs to be mentioned here , the particulars have been so fully and so frequently g-iven ; but it may be well to note that twice in his career did Ashmole think of seeking election as member of Parliament for his native toAvn , Lichfield . The first time was in 1677 , but finding there Avas but little chance of his being warmly supported , he withdrew in time to save himself the
pain of a defeat . The second occasion was in 1685 , when he was invited to stand for the same city , but withdrew on James II . asking him to resign his interests in favour of Mr Lewson . There is but little more to record of his doings . In July , 1690 , being then in his 74 th year , he visited Oxford Avith his wife , and was
entertained at dinner in the Museum bearing his name , when Edward Hannes , Chemical Professor , delivered an eloquent oration in his honour . On the 18 th May , 1692 , he died in London , in the 76 th year
of his age , and was buried in the north aisle at the east end of Lam-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Memoir Of Elias Ashmole.
made , especially by Dr . Seth Ward , Bishop of Salisbury , to procure his appointment as Walker ' s successor , but to both the Bishop and the Duke of Norfolk he declined the appointment , and Sir W . Dugdale was appointed to fill the vacancy . On the latter ' s death ,
on the 10 th January , 1686 , Ashmole Avas again offered and again declined the appointment . In October , 1677 , he determined to offer to the University of Oxford the collection of the Tradescants , together with a number of coins , MSS . and medals which he had himself added , on condition
that a suitable building was erected for its , reception . The offer was grtefully accepted . The first stoue of the Ashmolean Museum was laid on 15 th May , 1679 . In March , 1682 , it was completed , and in a feAV days , what was described as " twelve cartloads " of varieties were sent by Ashmole , and arranged by Dr . Plot , to whom Avas entrusted
the custody of the museum . These , when in order , were viewed first by the Duke and Duchess of York , who Avere accompanied by the Princess Anne , and afterwards by the Doctors and Masters of the University ; and a feAv months later ( 1683 ) letters were read from
Ashmole in Convocation , confirming the presentation , and beinganswered , of course , with the warmest thanks by Avay of acknowledgment . It is to be regretted , however , that in the interval between 1677 , Avhen the offer of the collection was made and the completion of the building for its reception , a fire should have broken out ( 26 th
January , 1679 ) in the chambers adjoining those of Ashmole , in the Middle Temple , by Avhich a library he had been engaged in collecting during three-and-thirty years , with as many as 9000 coins , ancient and modern , w ere totally destroyed . The memorable visit on the llth March , 1682 , to the Lodge of
Freemasons , held at Masons' Hall , hardly needs to be mentioned here , the particulars have been so fully and so frequently g-iven ; but it may be well to note that twice in his career did Ashmole think of seeking election as member of Parliament for his native toAvn , Lichfield . The first time was in 1677 , but finding there Avas but little chance of his being warmly supported , he withdrew in time to save himself the
pain of a defeat . The second occasion was in 1685 , when he was invited to stand for the same city , but withdrew on James II . asking him to resign his interests in favour of Mr Lewson . There is but little more to record of his doings . In July , 1690 , being then in his 74 th year , he visited Oxford Avith his wife , and was
entertained at dinner in the Museum bearing his name , when Edward Hannes , Chemical Professor , delivered an eloquent oration in his honour . On the 18 th May , 1692 , he died in London , in the 76 th year
of his age , and was buried in the north aisle at the east end of Lam-