“… But it is not our province, who only gather his works, and give them you, to praise him. It is yours that reade him. And there we hope, to your divers capacities, you will finde enough, both to draw and hold you; for his wit can no more lie hid, then it could be lost …”
-From the introduction of Shakespeare’s First Folio
By Vince Frieden, strategic communications coordinator, Miami University Libraries
Through the decades, the generosity of Miami University’s alumni and friends has certainly shaped the university and its future, but one gift, in particular, stands out—not because it is valued in the millions of dollars but, rather, because it is priceless in its significance.
Dr. Otto Orren (O.O.) Fisher was a 1909 Miami alumnus who went on to the John Hopkins University School of Medicine before settling in Detroit. He was industrial surgeon for the Hudson Motor Company and established one of the first modern industrial first aid units there. In 1941, he won the Alumni Association’s prestigious Bishop Medal for his contributions to society.
Dr. Fisher also was a nationally renowned collector of rare books and manuscripts, who began with the goal of owning just one rare item in his lifetime. Upon his death in 1961, his collection of more than 80,000 rare volumes spanned across 25 different categories, including signatures of all U.S. Presidents up until that time, and covered three floors of his home.
The crown jewels of that envied collection, arrived in Oxford, Ohio, on Oct. 7, 1949, flown there personally by Dr. Fisher in his private plane. The gift he carried for his alma mater was simply too precious to be trusted to anyone else.
That gift made its home, initially, in the rare book room within then-Alumni Library. Now it is housed in the Walter Havighurst Special Collections within King Library—a laboratory for the humanities that allows the Miami community to interact with rare literary and historical treasures.
Central to that collection is Dr. Fisher’s gift of four Shakespeare Folios—the first printed collections of English literature’s greatest writer and among the rarest volumes in the world. Of the approximately 750 First Folios printed in 1623, just over 230 are known to still be in existence.
Following are just some of the fascinating facts behind these priceless editions, which are available for online viewing via the University Libraries’ digital collections or in person, via appointment, at the Walter Havighurst Special Collections on King Library’s third floor:
-
When William Shakespeare died in 1616, none of his works had been authorized to appear in print. Plays at that time were primarily acted out and not read. The First Folio appeared in print seven years after Shakespeare’s death, and some consider it the greatest contribution made to English literature.
-
Leading the effort to print Shakespeare’s First Folio were two fellow actors and close friends, John Hemming and Henry Cordell. According to a notation on the title page, they had access to “true original copies” of Shakespeare’s works and wished to share them as they were written. Father and son William and Isaac Jaggard printed the First Folio.
-
The First Folio totaled 900-plus pages, including plays previously printed in Quarto format and 20 never-before published works that included Macbeth, Julius Caesar, The Tempest, The Comedy of Errors, and The Taming of the Shrew.
-
Because of careless editing and the printing process at the time, no two First Folios are alike.
-
The First Folio’s cover page features an iconic portrait of Shakespeare, created by Martin Droeshout, which is one of just two depictions considered a true likeness of Shakespeare.
-
The ensuing Second, Third and Fourth Folios were essentially reprints of the First Folio, printed because of high demand and each with their own unique corrections and errors.
-
The Third Folio is considered as rare as the First Folio. It contains seven additional Shakespeare works, though some scholars debate their authenticity. It is believed that many of the copies of the Third Folio, printed in 1663, were destroyed in the 1666 Great Fire of London.
-
Individual page images of all four Shakespeare Folios are available and can be enlarged and manipulated through the Miami University Libraries online digital collections: First Folio, Second Folio, Third Folio and Fourth Folio.
The Miami University Heritage Collections include the Walter Havighurst Special Collections and Miami archival collections, which feature Miami University Archives, Western College Memorial Archives and Oxford College Archives. For more content, follow the Miami University Libraries on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.