Bestanddeel RAS MEMB/5/4/6 - Diploma for Foreign Membership

6 copies, printed

This has been kept in a folder of uncatalogued prints and drawings, and was previously given a reference number of 111.001.

This file contains multiple copies of a blank printed membership certificate. This appears to be the diploma sent to Foreign Members by the Society to mark their election during the reign of George IV. The certificate contains the following text in Latin:

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Q. F. F. Q. S.

SOCIETAS ad Literas Asiaticas in Britanniis excolendas sub auspicis potentissimi Regis GeorgII IV. feliciter instituta

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in Sociorum suorum Exterorum numerum adscribi voluit; consessu solenni Londini habito, die [space] 18 [space]

Quod sub Societatis sigillo testantur

Praeses.
Director.
Secretarius.

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One of the copies has the word 'GeorgII IV' crossed out and annotated 'Victoria' in pencil. Measures 45 cm (h) x 37.2 cm (w).

• Latijn

The diploma does not bear the name of the Society, but 'Societas ad Literas Asiaticas', literally 'Society for Asian Literature'. The library of the University of Graz in Austria holds a diploma with a heading of 'Royal Asiatic Society - Societas ad Literas Asiaticas in Britanniis excolendas' addressed to the Austrian orientalist Joseph von Hammer-Purgstall (1774-1856), dated 7 June 1823 (Reference number 2589). This dovetails with the Society's records as Joseph von Hammer-Purgstall was elected as a Foreign Member of the Society at the General Meeting on 7 June 1823. Therefore, it is likely that this is the diploma intended for Foreign Members.

Details of the papers of Joseph von Hammer-Purgstall can be found here: https://gams.uni-graz.at/context:hp