Francis Douce

author

Francis Douce

1757–1834

A passionate collector of books, manuscripts, and curiosities, he helped shape how medieval and early English literature would be studied for generations. His love of strange, overlooked corners of the past made him one of the great antiquaries of his age.

2 Audiobooks

Illustrations of Shakspeare, and of Ancient Manners: with Dissertations on the Clowns and Fools of Shakspeare; on a Collection of Popular Tales Entitled Gesta Romanorum; and on the English Morris dance.

Illustrations of Shakspeare, and of Ancient Manners: with Dissertations on the Clowns and Fools of Shakspeare; on a Collection of Popular Tales Entitled Gesta Romanorum; and on the English Morris dance.

by Francis Douce

The Dance of Death Exhibited in Elegant Engravings on Wood with a Dissertation on the Several Representations of that Subject but More Particularly on Those Ascribed to Macaber and Hans Holbein

The Dance of Death Exhibited in Elegant Engravings on Wood with a Dissertation on the Several Representations of that Subject but More Particularly on Those Ascribed to Macaber and Hans Holbein

by Francis Douce

About the author

Born in London in 1757, Francis Douce became a British antiquary and museum curator with a deep fascination for manuscripts, early literature, and the history of popular customs. He worked at the British Museum, where he served as Keeper of Manuscripts, and built a reputation as a careful scholar as well as an enthusiastic collector.

Douce is especially remembered for the remarkable library and manuscript collection he assembled over his lifetime. The Bodleian notes that his bequest included books and manuscripts ranging from books of hours and French romances to early English literature, showing the breadth of his interests and the lasting value of his collection.

He died on March 30, 1834, but his influence lived on through both his writings and the materials he preserved. For readers interested in folklore, medieval writing, and the odd byways of literary history, he remains a fascinating figure.