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 230 votes, and held the chair until
his death in 1899.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boden_Professor_of_Sanskrit_election,_1860>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1782:
The Bronze Horseman (pictured), an equestrian statue of Peter
the Great that serves as one of the symbols of Saint Petersburg, Russia,
was unveiled.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronze_Horseman>
1909:
Fifty-nine days after leaving New York City, Alice Huyler
Ramsey, with three friends, arrived in San Francisco to become the first
woman to drive an automobile across the U.S.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_Huyler_Ramsey>
1933:
An estimated 3,000 Assyrians were slaughtered by Iraqi troops
during the Simele massacre in the Dahuk and Mosul districts.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simele_massacre>
1938:
Prisoners from Dachau concentration camp were sent to begin
construction of Mauthausen, which would later be part of one of the
largest labour camp complexes in German-occupied Europe.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauthausen-Gusen_concentration_camp>
1998:
Car bombs exploded simultaneously at the American embassies in
the East African capital cities of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Nairobi,
Kenya, killing more than 200 people and injuring more than 4,500 others.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1998_United_States_embassy_bombings>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
dressage:
An equestrian sport in which the horse and rider perform a test of
specific movements in an arena, and are judged on the horse's obedience,
acceptance of the bridle and of the rider's aids, gaits, impulsion, and
the harmony between horse and rider.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/dressage>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
There's not a single thing on offer in this all-too-temporary
world for which you should ever sell your soul.
--Alan Keyes
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Alan_Keyes>
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