M&D - Chapter 19 - Shirburn Castle

[Elisabeth Romberg]

This is made more sinister when we return to the point of view of the pub, that there was something, a frightening Presence, at Shirburn Castle. What was it?

The Earl and «The Presence" required servants who lived in another relation to Time - as far east as Stepney Green! *shudder*

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Here is a great article from the Guardian on Macclesfield’s main helpers and the equipment at the observatory at the castle:
http://www.theguardian.com/science/the-h-word/2013/apr/23/picture-science-astronomy-history-observatory <http://www.theguardian.com/science/the-h-word/2013/apr/23/picture-science-astronomy-history-observatory>

Macclesfield was a remarkable individual. He was instructed in mathematics by Abraham De Moivre <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Moivre> and William Jones <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Jones_(mathematician)>, and the sciences became his passion. Under Jones's influence he formed an exceptionally important collection of 17th-century mathematical manuscripts <http://janus.lib.cam.ac.uk/db/node.xsp?id=EAD%2FGBR%2F0012%2FMS%20Add.9597> and books <http://rsnr.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/60/1/5.full>. He erected his observatory with the assistance of James Bradley <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Bradley>, then Savilian Professor of astronomy at Oxford and later Astronomer Royal.

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The castle is empty today and in need of substantial repair. These photos of the castle in its current state are haunting and beautiful.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/truebritishmetal/sets/72157630713571448/ <https://www.flickr.com/photos/truebritishmetal/sets/72157630713571448/>
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The current Earl of Macclesfield just made a bomb selling off the library in 2004.
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/whos-laughing-now-7298779.html <http://www.standard.co.uk/news/whos-laughing-now-7298779.html>
His totally unknown family library, which in November reaches the fourth of what will be up to 13 auctions at Sotheby's, has turned out to be one of the most important ever sold - comparable, though very different, to the famed book collections of the Duke of Devonshire at Chatsworth, the Duke of Roxburghe at St James's Square and Earl Spencer at Althorp.

The trophy of trophies in November, at the auction of science books by authors D to H, will be Galileo's Sidereus Nuncius, in which he announced his discovery of the moons of Jupiter. It is estimated at £250,000-£350,000. Books by Isaac Newton are to come in 2005. Sotheby's is keeping details up its sleeve.

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> 10. apr. 2015 kl. 21.09 skrev Elisabeth Romberg <eromberg at mac.com>:
> 
> noblesse oblige (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noblesse_oblige <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noblesse_oblige>)
> 
> Noblesse oblige is a French <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_language> phrase literally meaning "obligation of Nobility". It is the concept that nobility extends beyond mere entitlements and requires the person with such status to fulfill social responsibilities, particularly in leadership roles.
> 
> Macclesfield held the honorary position as vice president at the Foundling hospital, but as it turns out on page 194, there is much, much more to being part of the ruling elite… This includes, in Macclesfield’s words, big lying, feelings of Remorse (doubt it), sacrifices… (so we’ve heard).

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