You will find no one, I think, who does more and in so many ways to help and encourage fellow-students and to promote their interests.

Public orator, presentation oration for Honorary D.Litt, Oxford University, 1957.

The epitomy of the gentleman scholar, he devoted his life to scholarship independent of any academic institution.He had an encyclopaedic knowledge of the social, cultural and intellectual history of 17th-century England and his editorship of two major sources of that time, The diary of John Evelyn and The correspondence of John Locke, met with wide acclaim. His bibliography of one hundred and fifty publications includes many articles and reviews in scholarly journals. The honorary fellowships from learned societies and the doctorates conferred on him by the Universities of Durham, Oxford and Otago gave him much quiet satisfaction.By celebrating the life and legacy of Esmond de Beer, we celebrate scholarship of the highest integrity and generous patronage which enriches our society.

21 March - 13 June 2002 ~ de Beer Gallery
Central Library, University of Otago
Monday - Friday 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
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