Literary works Thomas Browne

thomas browne wife dorothy, joan carlile, c. 1641 – 1650. national portrait gallery, london collection.

browne s first literary work religio medici (the religion of physician). work circulated manuscript among friends. surprised him when unauthorised edition appeared in 1642, since work included several unorthodox religious speculations. authorised text appeared in 1643, of more controversial views removed. expurgation did not end controversy: in 1645, alexander ross attacked religio medici in medicus medicatus (the doctor, doctored) and, in common protestant literature, book placed upon papal index librorum prohibitorum in same year.

in 1646, browne published encyclopaedia, pseudodoxia epidemica, or, enquiries many received tenets, , commonly presumed truths, title refers prevalence of false beliefs , vulgar errors . sceptical work debunks number of legends circulating @ time in methodical , witty manner, displays baconian side of browne—the side unafraid of @ time still called new learning . book significant in history of science because promoted awareness of up-to-date scientific journalism.

browne s last publication during lifetime 2 philosophical discourses closely related each other in concept. first, hydriotaphia, urn burial, or brief discourse of sepulchral urns lately found in norfolk (1658) inspired discovery of bronze age burials in earthenware vessels found in norfolk, resulted in literary meditation upon death, funerary customs of world , ephemerality of fame. other discourse in diptych antithetical in style, subject-matter , imagery. garden of cyrus, or quincuncial lozenge, or network plantations of ancients, artificially, naturally, , mystically considered (1658) features quincunx used browne demonstrate evidence of platonic forms in art , nature.