Digital Humanities Summer Institute 2014

1. Digital Humanities Summer Institute 2014 Understanding the Pre-Digital Book

2. John Donne

3. Pseudo-Martyr • Pseudo-Martyr was John Donne's first published work and the only one he wrote as a lawyer. It is also an autobiographical document, which reveals how Donne resolved his own lapse from Catholicism so that he could remain loyal to the king. A descendant of Thomas More's sister, Donne had inherited a rich tradition from the Counter-Reformation, which he sought to reconcile with the political absolutes of his day (UVic Library Catalogue Entry).

4. Publishing History • This text appears to have been printed only once. The evidence for this theory lies in the fact that the same misprintings appear consistently in a variety of different digital facsimiles. We then checked this theory against the Early English Books Online database, which confirms 1610 as the only printing date. 58 printed copies of Donne’s Pseudo-Martyr exist today.

8. Description • PSEVDO- | MARTYR. | Wherein | OVT OF CERTAINE | Propo∫itions and Gradations, This | Conclu∫ion is euicted. | THAT THOSE WHICH ARE | of the Romane Religion in this Kingdome, | may and ought to take the Oath of | Allegeance. DEVT.32.I5. | But he that ∫houldhauebeenevpright, when he waxed fatte, ∫purned with his heele: Thou | art fat, thou art gro∫∫e, thou art laden with fatne∫∫e.|IOB. II.5. | But oh that God would ∫peake and open his lips again∫t thee, that he might ∫hew thee the | ∫ecrets of wi∫dome, how thou ha∫tde∫erued double according to right.|2. CHRO. 28. 22. | In the time of his tribulation, did he yet tre∫pa∫∫e more again∫t the Lord, for he ∫acruficed | unto the gods of Dama∫cus, which plagued him. |LONDON | Printed by W. Stansby for Walter Burre. | 1610.

9. 4° A4 [¶2] B-3G4 H2 [X3 unmarked] [40], 392 Contents: Consistent catchwords, running title: PSEVDO-MARTYR Binding: 21.5cm x 15.5cm x 2.5cm, brown leather, stamped with border, worn on corners, edges, and spine. Stamped ridges and faded label on spine. Evidence of repairs using much later printed materials.

12. Notes • Title page has been repaired, water damage in top right corner from A2-B1. Large type face, marginalia, numbered paragraphs, border, chapter indications, decorative drop letters at each chapter beginning (larger drop letter for Preface and Chapter 1) followed by chapter summary. Mixed roman and italic type throughout. Decorative border/ design on beginning and end of Preface (B1, E2), An Advertisement to the Reader (¶2), and beginning of Chapter 1 (E3). Small circular stain on B4, C2, C3, D1, G4. H4, M2,, X1-2,2C4, 2G3, 2K1, 2O4. Rust-like smudge on top of H3. Slight tear in E3-4 corner. Yellowing of page edges. Misprint of chapter indication on P2v. Inaccurate pagination Y1r. Y2v, Y3r, Y4v, 2A3v. Ink blot on 2A1v, 2r. Duplicate THE SECOND PART heading and strange margin reference [36] on 3E4. Subsequent strange margin reference [39] on 3F1. Torn corner and mold spots from 2F1-3G4. Wormhole on 2H2.

13. A Strange Addition On the back cover of UVic’s edition of Pseudo-Martyr (1610) there appears to be to a repair done with printed-paper of a much later date than the original text. This suggests that the book encountered modern repairs post publication. The presence of this paper also draws allusions to Victorian techniques of paper recycling learned in this course. As paper was expensive, binders and book repairers tended to reuse print materials to avoid waste.

15. Digital Facsimiles: What Are We Missing? • Pseudo-Martyr exists in a variety of digital formats. Some are certainly better than others, but the more important question is whether or not these e-documents offer readers the same experience as the printed book.

16. Ebook (University of Victoria Ebook Collection, Published by McGill – Queen’s UP 1993. Ed. Anthony Raspa): • This Ebook inserts line numbers while the original 1610 document contains numbered paragraphs. The Ebook seems to be attempting to establish a biblical and traditional essence. This edition maintains typographic distinctions (italic and roman type), adds footnotes, and maintains marginalia. Though this is a feature of the original text, Raspa’s decision to include marginalia speaks to the importance of the physical layout of the book, ie. biblical allusions. An important question to consider is whether or not this is still Pseudo-Martyr without the presence of marginalia? http://site.ebrary.com.ezproxy.library.uvic.ca/lib/uvic/docDetail.action?docID=10138991

17. Early English Books Online • While we value the access that EEBO provides us, the facsimile is not without flaws. EEBO is helpful in looking at the text alone, but lacks the ability to reproduce the materiality of the book. The facsimile appears only in black and white, and has an unrealistic scrolling method (not reflective of true reading experience ie. turning pages). Dirt, stains, and other damage are distorted (or at times eliminated) in the facsimile and black and white colouring makes it difficult to discern stains, tears, damage etc. from errors incurred in the photocopying process. • EEBO

18. Archives.org • This was the most accurate digital facsimile that we encountered. The digital image appears in colour with an interactive scrolling feature that presents the text as if you are actually turning the pages. We would like to note that this source was somewhat difficult to navigate, primarily we found we were unable to jump to specific pages • https://archive.org/details/pseudomartyrwher00donn

19. What Are We Missing in the Digital Format? • -physical feeling of the page (thickness/thinness) • -smell • -dirt • -repairs • -size (online we have no perspective, which makes it hard to tell the format.)

20. Issues of Access • All 58 copies are located in Universities. Not equal access. EEBO and Ebook require University subscriptions. Archives.org (which is the best digital rendering) is free to all. Only a preview available on google books.