Thomas Smith (1638-1710) studied at Queens College, Oxford in 1657, obtained BA in 1661 and MA in 1663, and was appointed Master of Magdalen College. He was an Orientalist, ecclesiastical and intellectual historian, antiquary and librarian. From 1668-1671 Smith was the chaplain to the English ambassador in Constantinople and upon his return to London he published several works on his findings there. He returned to the East in 1676 to collect Greek manuscripts. In 1682, Smith went to Oxford with the hopes of becoming president of Magdalen College, however this was disrupted by James II’s religious policies. Smith went to London instead and became the unofficial librarian of the Cotton Library where he published the library’s first catalogue and worked without salary until 1702 the library passed into state control after the death of Cotton, leaving Smith without a job. He turned to publishing biographies of friends.
Reference:
Theodor Harmsen, Smith, Thomas (16381710), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/25912, accessed 9 July 2013].
Dates: to
Occupation: Unknown
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