The election in 1860 for the position of Boden Professor of Sanskrit at the University of Oxford was a hotly contested affair between two candidates with different approaches to Sanskrit scholarship. Monier Williams(pictured), an Oxford-educated Englishman who taught Sanskrit to those preparing to work in British India, regarded the study of Sanskrit as a way to help convert India to Christianity. Max Müller, an internationally regarded scholar in comparative philology (the science of language), thought that his work, while it would assist missionaries, was valuable as an end in itself. They battled for the votes of the electorate (the Convocation of the university, consisting of over 3,700 graduates) through manifestos and newspaper correspondence. The election came at a time of public debate about Britain's role in India after the Indian Rebellion of 1857. Although generally regarded as the superior scholar, Müller had the double disadvantage (in some eyes) of being German and having liberal Christian views. Special trains to Oxford were provided for non-residents to cast their votes. Williams won the election by a majority of over 220 votes, and held the chair until his death in 1899. (Full article...)
... that the first female professor at Glasgow University, Delphine Parrott, was especially good at vivisecting mice?
... that for over 70 years the now demolished Allen Theater showed second-run films at low admission, earning the slogan "Wait until it comes to the Allen"?
... that after writing his first Star Trek story at the age of eight, Mike Sussman has since been credited with writing more than 30 episodes of the franchise?
Arlington Row, a row of Cotswold stone cottages in Bibury, Gloucestershire, England. Built in 1380 as a monastic wool store, the buildings were converted into weavers' cottages in the 17th century. William Morris declared the village to be the most beautiful in England.
This Wikipedia is written in English. Started in 2001 (2001), it currently contains 4,298,676 articles.
Many other Wikipedias are available; some of the largest are listed below.
