Alcuin
2 of the 6 encyclopedias on this shelf carry an entry for Alcuin. Both are reproduced below, so you can see where they agree and where they differ.
Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)
an English ecclesiastic, born at York in 735. He was a pupil of Bede and of Egbert, whose librarian he became, and who appointed him director of the school of York. His reputation reached Charlemagne, who called him to France in 782 to aid in his designs for education in the empire. Charlemagne became himself a pupil of Alcuin. Alcuin's teaching was in the seven liberal arts of that time, which include music and astronomy; and to these were added Biblical exegesis. Under his influence schools were established at Lyons, Orleans, and Tours. He was so much trusted as to be made a member of the Council of Frankfort (794), where Felix, Bishop of Urgel, was condemned for heresy. Charlemagne loaded Alcuin with riches, and allowed him to have more than 1,000 slaves. He made with his own hand a copy of the Scripture, which he presented to Charlemagne, and which became of great assistance to later editors. His importance lies not so much in his erudition as in the fact that he transplanted the wisdom of antiquity into the the kingdom of Charlemagne, and thus into the greater part of Europe. Till his death here in 804, 04, he still corresponded constantly with Charlemagne. His works comprise poems, works on grammar, rhetoric, and dialectics, theological and ethical treatises, lives of several saints, and over 200 letters.
Aiton's Encyclopedia (1910)
al'kwin (735-804), an English prelate and scholar. He was born at York, England, and died at Tours, France. Alcuin wrote treatises on grammar, rhetoric, history, spelling, argumentation, theology, and other subjects. Charlemagne invited him to settle on the continent and to become the master of the "School of the Palace." During his lifetime Alcuin was the confidante and adviser of Charlemagne in education and in church affairs. The following extract is taken from a letter written (in Latin, of course,) by Alcuin to Charlemagne. The monastery of St. Martin was at Tours: "In obedience to your exhortation and wise desire, I apply myself in serving out to some of my pupils in this house of Saint Martin the honey of the holy writings; I essay to intoxicate others with the old wine of antique studies; one class I nourish with the fruits of grammatical science; in the eyes of another, I display the order of the stars." ... "I have schools of singers, many of whom are already sufficiently instructed to be able to teach others.... I have also done in this church what lay in my power, as to copying books.... I have roofed the great church of this town,... and have reconstructed a portion of the walls; ... for the priests, I have constructed a cloister." See Charlemagne
What Has Changed in the Last Century
The outline both accounts give — York schoolman, summoned by Charlemagne in 782, abbot of St Martin's at Tours until his death in 804 — still stands. Two details have been corrected: Collier's 1921 claim that Alcuin was "a pupil of Bede" is chronologically impossible, since Bede died in 735, the very year Alcuin is traditionally said to have been born (modern scholars often prefer c. 740 and name Ælberht, not Bede, as his master); and his birth year remains an estimate rather than the flat "735" both entries print. Historians also now treat Alcuin's role in the Carolingian revival more cautiously: his scriptorium at Tours spread the clear Carolingian minuscule that became the model for Roman type and our lower-case letters, but the script was developing at Corbie and elsewhere before he reached Tours, so he is credited with propagating rather than inventing it. His revision of the Latin Bible text is likewise seen as a supervised editorial programme rather than the single copy "made with his own hand" that Collier's describes.
Written for this edition, 2026.