BODLEY'AN or BODLEI'AN LIBRARY, the public library of Oxford university, restored by sir Thomas Bodley (q.v.) in 1507, his first act being the presentation of n large collec tion of valuable books. purchased on the continent at an expense of P.,10,000. Through his influence and noble example, the library was speedily enriched by numerous other important contributions. Among the earliest subsequent benefactors of the 13. L., which was opened in 1602, with a well-assorted collection of about 0000 volumes. were the earl of Pembroke, who presented it with 250 volumes of valuable Greek MSS.; sir Thomas Roe; sir Kenelin Digby; and archbishop Laud, who made it a magnificent donation of 1300 MSS. in more than twenty different languages. Upwards of 8000 volumes of the library of the famous John Seldeu (q.v.) went to the Bodleyan library. Gen. Fair fax presented the library with many MSS., among, which was Roger Dodsworth's collection of 160 volumes on English history. During the present century, the most important bequests have been the collections of Richard Gough, on British topography and Saxon and northern literature; of Edmund Malone, the editor of Shakespeare; and of Francis Douce; also a sum of £40,000, by the Rev. Robert Mason, the interest to be expended on books. By purchase, the library acquired some magnificent collections of Oriental, Greek, Latin, and Hebrew books and MSS. The B. L. is particularly rich in biblical codices, rabbinical literature, and materials for British history. By the copy right act, it is entitled to a copy of every book printed in the 'United Kingdom. The number of volumes it possesses is estimated at about 300,000, in addition to 20.000 to 30,000 in manuscript. The first catalogue of the printed books was published by the first librarian, Dr. James, in 1600; the last, nearly two centuries and a half later (in 1843), in vols., by Dr. Bandinel, the eleventh who held the office since the institution of the library. In the intarval, several catalogues of various departments of the library were published; and a supplemental volume was added by Dr. Bandinel in 1850. By statntes drawn up for the government of the library 17 sir Thomas Bodley, it was decreed that the vice-chancellor, the proctors, and the repos professors of divinity. law, medicine, Hebrew, and Greek, should be visitors and curators; a statute passed in 1856 added "five more residents to be elected by congregation for ten years. if continuing to reside, and
to be re-eligible." Members of the university who have taken a degree are admitted to the use of the library—a small addition on the matriculation fees, and an annual payment, being charged for the privilege. Literary men, properly recommended, are allowed to make extracts from the works in the library, which is open between Lady-day and .Michaelmas from nine o'clock in the morning till four in the and during the other half of the year from ten to three. It is shut during certain holidays, and for visitation purposes, in the aggregate about 34 days in the year, besides Sundays. Since 1856, a reading-room, open throughout the year from ten o'clock in the morning to ten in the evening, has been attached to the library.
BODIrIANN (ancient Bodami Castrum), a village of Baden, at the mouth of the Stock ach, on lake Constance, with ruins of a castle, formerly the residence of the lieutenants (botemann or bodmanno, messenger or legatus) of the Carlovingian kings; hence the German name of the lake Bodman-see, or Boden-sec. Pop. 000.
BODMER„Ton. JAK., a German poet and litterateur, was b. at Greifensee, near Zurich, 19th July, 1698. The study of the Greek and Latin writers, together with the English, French, and Italian masters, having convinced him of the poverty and taste lessness of existing German literature, he resolved to attempt a reformation. Accord ingly, in 1721, along with a few other young scholars, lie commenced a critical period ical, entitled Discurse der Miler, in which the living poets were sharply handled. After 1740, when B. published a treatise on The Wonderful in Poetry, a literary war broke out between him and Gottschcd, which was long waged with great bitterness; yet it was not without fruits, inasmuch as it partly prepared the way for the Augustan epoch of German literature. B. died at Zurich (in the university of which he had held the chair of history for 50 years), 2d Jan., 1783. As an author, he was marked by inexhaustible activity, but his poems, dramas, and translations have no vigor or originality. His best known production is the Noackide (Zurich, 1752). Ile did greater service to literature by republishing the old German poets, the Minnesingers, and a part of the Nibelungen, as also by his numerous critical writings.