Papers of James Legge

Papers of James Legge comprising a notebook containing thoughts on Legge's aims and achievements in China, 1846-7, with a list of expenses, 1869; and letters and papers relating to the Professorship of Chinese at Oxford, 1863-94, including:

• papers concerning the raising of an endowment, 1875-8
• letters relating to the foundation and maintenance of the Chair, 1875-9
• letters to Legge, 1866-94
• copies on tissue paper of letters from Legge, 1879-92
• printed examination papers for the Davis Chinese scholarship, 1879-92.

James Legge (1815-97) was the first professor of Chinese at Oxford, 1876-97; he was also a missionary and sinologist. Further details are given in the Dictionary of National Biography.

Entry to read in the Library is permitted only on presentation of a valid reader's card (for admissions procedures see http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk).

Given to the Library in 1957.

Collection level description created by Susan Thomas, Department of Special Collections and Western Manuscripts.

M. Clapinson and T.D. Rogers, Summary Catalogue of Post-Medieval Western Manuscripts in the Bodleian Library Oxford. Acquisitions 1916-1975. (Oxford, 1991), vol. II, nos. 54648-9.

See also an earlier deposit of James Legge's papers (MSS. Eng. misc. c. 863-5, d. 1252-65, e. 1377-81).