Purchases, 1969-1987 (R5374, R6625, R8171, R8218, R8380, R9013, R11352)
Open for research. Part or all of this collection is housed off-site and may require up to three business days notice for access in the Ransom Center’s Reading and Viewing Room. Please contact the Center before requesting this material: reference@hrc.utexas.edu
Betsy Young, 2006; completed by Aine McVey, 2010; updated by Betsy Nitsch, 2012
The History of Logic Collection is made up of ten bound manuscripts concerning ancient Greek logic and ethics, spanning circa 1630-1786. Each item has a designated shelf mark (Logic Ms. 1 through Logic Ms. 10) and the items are organized by shelf mark number.
All of the manuscripts contain personal commentaries on Aristotle's works, particularly the
Four of the manuscripts are signed and originated from France, Italy, and Spain. These four manuscripts were written by a Capuchin friar in Palermo (Antoninum Burgio), a Jesuit priest in Naples (Francesco Giordano), a scholar at the University of Valencia (Josepho Perez), and a scholar at the College of Saint-Vaast (Petro de Bevel). The authors model the organization of their works on the teachings of Aristotle and Porphyry. The commentaries generally take the form of a series of questions and answers or claims and responses / refutations. The manuscripts, in turn, are divided into chapters and sub-topics.
The texts are written in Latin, with the occasional appearance of Ancient Greek, as well as portrait captions in French and Spanish. These portraits are featured in three of the volumes and depict famous philosophers, such as Aristotle, Plato, and Porphyry, as well as religious images, such as the birth of Jesus and saints. Many of the manuscripts contain personal markings made by the various owners, such as short prayers, signature practice, and notes.