Fonds AC - Papers of Rev Dr Adam Clarke

Identity area

Reference code

GB 891 AC

Title

Papers of Rev Dr Adam Clarke

Date(s)

  • 1828 - 1836 (Creation)

Level of description

Fonds

Extent and medium

2 items handwritten

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

Adam Clarke was a Wesleyan minister and theologian, serving three times as the President of the Wesleyan Methodist Conference. Born in Ireland, he became a Methodist in 1778 and a minister in 1782, firstly in Bradford (Wiltshire). He also served in the Channel Islands, Cornwall, Ireland, rural Lancashire, and the Shetlands (where he was the effective planter of Methodism in the 1820s). He was a keen theologian with progressive views linking rationalism with spirituality. As a scholar, he studied a variety of subjects including folk tales, and romances, as well as Persian, Arabic, Ethiopian, Hindu, Coptic and Sanskrit texts, and subjects including alchemy and the occult, witchcraft, medical curiosities, astronomy, mineralogy, and conchology, while maintaining an overriding interest in the classics and the scriptures. He was involved in the conversion of 2 Buddhist monks from Sri Lanka.

He was elected a member of several learned including the British and Foreign Bible Society, the American Antiquarian Society, the Royal Irish Academy, the Geological Society of London, the American Historical Institute, and was a founder member of the Royal Asiatic Society. Clarke died from an attack of cholera on 26 August 1832.

Archival history

These papers were created by Dr Adam Clarke.

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

The Translation of the history of the Dharmapala jataka was presented to the Royal Asiatic Society on 29 July 1828. The translation from the [Sambaive] jataka was presented to the Society by Clarke's son in February 1836.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

The papers consist of two translations from Buddhist paintings. These are:

  • Translation of the History of the Dharmapala Jataka which is painted in the Kaluwella Temple, 3 pages with descriptive note on the 4th.
  • Translation of the [Sambaive] Jataka or the history of the "King Dannanjaya Cooraw-wa", also painted in the Kaluwella Temple, 7 pages with descriptive note on the 8th.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Open. Please contact the archivist. Details can be found here : https://royalasiaticarchives.org/. The archive is open on Tuesdays and Fridays 10-5, and Thursdays 2-5. Access is to any researcher without appointment but it will help if an appointment is made via phone or email. Please bring photo ID.

Conditions governing reproduction

Digital photography (without flash) for research purposes may be permitted upon completion of a copyright declaration form, and with respect to current UK copyright law.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

    Language and script notes

    Physical characteristics and technical requirements

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    Allied materials area

    Existence and location of originals

    Existence and location of copies

    Related units of description

    Details concerning the papers coming into the Royal Asiatic Society can be found in the Society's Register of Communications, 1823-1846, p.58.

    Our collections hold some books related to Dr Adam Clarke. Details can be found in our Library Catalogue: https://ras.koha-ptfs.co.uk/.

    Related descriptions

    Notes area

    Alternative identifier(s)

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    Description control area

    Description identifier

    gb891-ac

    Institution identifier

    Rules and/or conventions used

    Status

    Level of detail

    Dates of creation revision deletion

    Language(s)

      Script(s)

        Sources

        Archivist's note

        These papers were catalogued by Nancy Charley, RAS Archivist, in 2022.

        Accession area