Friends of the Old Library are warmly invited to the FOL Spring Event, taking place on Saturday 17 March.

Prof Dr Allen Reddick (Christ's, m 1978, and now of the University of Zurich) will be talking about the remarkable political propagandist, Thomas Hollis (1720 - 1774).

Thomas Hollis reprinted and sent works of literature from across the seventeenth-century republican canon to libraries across Britain, Europe and latterly, America in order to keep the case of parliamentary reform alive during a difficult period. Christ's College was among the beneficiaries of Hollis' generosity, inspired by the College's link with Milton. Professor Reddick is currently working on a descriptive bibliography and analysis of Hollis' gifts throughout the world.

The accompanying Old Library exhibition, 'A Lover of Liberty: Thomas Hollis and his Books' will feature a range of texts donated to the College by Hollis, including first editions of Milton's Paradise Lost and a copy of Locke's Two Treatises on Government annotated by the author, and used by Hollis to publish a new edition of the work.  

Friends of the Old Library will have received an invitation by email or the post. For further details please contact Rosie Applin, Alumni Officer: alumni@christs.cam.ac.uk