Kolekcja George’a Thomasona (1640–1660). Historia, zawartość i znaczenie

The Collection of George Thomason (1640–1660). History, Contents and ImportanceThe text presents the history and research possibilities provided by a unique collection of books, prints, newspapers and manuscripts gathered by the 17th–century London bookseller George Thomason. Known also as the Thomason Tracts, the collection, containing over 20 000 items, is one of the most important assemblies of primary sources from the period of the Civil War and Interregnum and has been extensively used by historians. The article also argues that due to Thomason’s diligence in collecting early periodical publications and the fact that the Thomason Tracts have been preserved almost intact they are of key importance for anyone planning to conduct research on the history of early English newspapers and journalism.