Edward Worth
Encyclopedia
Edward Worth was an Irish
politician, physician and book collector.
He was born into a prosperous Church of Ireland
family, his father being Dean of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin.
Worth studied medicine in Oxford
(martriculated 1693), Leiden and Utrecht
(MD 1701) before practising as a doctor in Dublin. A financial windfall from an uncle helped him to establish a large book collection, bought from places such as London, the Netherlands, France and Dublin. On his death the collection consisted of some 4,400 books, many on medicine, dating back in some cases to the fifteenth century. The books are now in the library of the old Dr. Steevens's Hospital in Kilmainham
, of which he was a governor. They have been stored well and are in remarkably good condition.
Edward Worth was an important figure in the Dublin of his day. He was a friend and contemporary of such people as Jonathan Swift
, and his library is remarkable, not only for its size and variety, but also for the condition of the books, some of which are hundreds of years old but appear almost new. Between 1715 and 1727, Worth sat in the Irish House of Commons
for New Ross
.
He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in January 1699.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
politician, physician and book collector.
He was born into a prosperous Church of Ireland
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
family, his father being Dean of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin.
Worth studied medicine in Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
(martriculated 1693), Leiden and Utrecht
Utrecht University
Utrecht University is a university in Utrecht, Netherlands. It is one of the oldest universities in the Netherlands and one of the largest in Europe. Established March 26, 1636, it had an enrollment of 29,082 students in 2008, and employed 8,614 faculty and staff, 570 of which are full professors....
(MD 1701) before practising as a doctor in Dublin. A financial windfall from an uncle helped him to establish a large book collection, bought from places such as London, the Netherlands, France and Dublin. On his death the collection consisted of some 4,400 books, many on medicine, dating back in some cases to the fifteenth century. The books are now in the library of the old Dr. Steevens's Hospital in Kilmainham
Kilmainham
Kilmainham is a suburb of Dublin south of the River Liffey and west of the city centre, in the Dublin 8 postal district.-History:In the Viking era, the monastery was home to the first Norse base in Ireland....
, of which he was a governor. They have been stored well and are in remarkably good condition.
Edward Worth was an important figure in the Dublin of his day. He was a friend and contemporary of such people as Jonathan Swift
Jonathan Swift
Jonathan Swift was an Irish satirist, essayist, political pamphleteer , poet and cleric who became Dean of St...
, and his library is remarkable, not only for its size and variety, but also for the condition of the books, some of which are hundreds of years old but appear almost new. Between 1715 and 1727, Worth sat in the Irish House of Commons
Irish House of Commons
The Irish House of Commons was the lower house of the Parliament of Ireland, that existed from 1297 until 1800. The upper house was the House of Lords...
for New Ross
New Ross (Parliament of Ireland constituency)
New Ross was a constituency represented in the Irish House of Commons to 1800.-1692–1801:...
.
He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in January 1699.