Biography Thomas Browne

1 biography

1.1 life
1.2 literary works
1.3 later life , knighthood
1.4 death , aftermath

biography
early life

the son of silk merchant upton, cheshire, born in parish of st michael, cheapside, in london on 19 october 1605. father died while still young , sent school @ winchester college. in 1623 browne went oxford university. graduated pembroke college, oxford in 1626, after studied medicine @ padua , montpellier universities, completing studies @ leiden, received medical degree in 1633. settled in norwich in 1637 , practiced medicine there until death in 1682.

literary works


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.

later life , knighthood

an illustration of sir thomas browne s house in norwich

in religio medici, browne confirmed belief, in accordance vast majority of seventeenth century european society, in existence of angels , witchcraft. attended 1662 bury st. edmunds witch trial, citation of similar trial in denmark may have influenced jury s minds of guilt of 2 accused women, subsequently executed crime of witchcraft.

in 1671 king charles ii, accompanied court, visited norwich. courtier john evelyn, had corresponded browne, took use of royal visit call upon learned doctor of european fame , wrote of visit, whole house , garden paradise , cabinet of rarities , of best collection, amongst medails, books, plants, natural things .

during visit, charles visited browne s home. banquet held in civic hall st. andrews royal visit. obliged honour notable local, name of mayor of norwich proposed king knighthood. mayor, however, declined honour , proposed browne s name instead.

death , aftermath

sir thomas browne s will, dated 2 december 1679

sir thomas browne died on 77th birthday, 19 october 1682. library held in care of eldest son edward until 1708. auction of browne , son edward s libraries in january 1711 attended hans sloane. editions sir thomas browne s library subsequently became included in founding collection of british library.

his skull became subject of local dispute when removed lead coffin when accidentally re-opened workmen in 1840. not re-interred until 4 july 1922 when registered in church of saint peter mancroft aged 317 years. browne s coffin-plate, stolen same time skull, recovered, broken 2 halves, 1 of on display @ st. peter mancroft. alluding commonplace opus of alchemy reads, amplissimus vir dns. thomas browne, miles, medicinae dr., annos natus 77 denatus 19 die mensis octobris, anno. dni. 1682, hoc loculo indormiens. corporis spagyrici pulvere plumbum in aurum convertit. — translated latin esteemed gentleman thomas browne, knight, doctor of medicine, 77 years old, died on 19th of october in year of our lord 1682 , lies sleeping in coffin. dust of alchemical body converts lead gold. origin of invented word spagyrici greek of: spao tear open, + ageiro collect, signature neologism coined paracelsus define medicine-oriented alchemy; origins of iatrochemistry, being first advanced him. browne s coffin-plate verse, along collected works of paracelsus , several followers of swiss physician listed in library, evidence although highly critical of paracelsus, nevertheless, luther of medicine , believed in palingenesis, physiognomy, alchemy, astrology , kabbalah.