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Transcriber's Note
The role of marginal notes differs from text to text in this collection.
Please see the Transcriber's Notes for how they are rendered in this
text version.
Italics are used freely, and have been rendered using _underscore_
characters. Bold text is indicated as '=bold='. A super-imposed bar
spanning several letters, which is a conventional mode of abbreviation,
is denoted with '==' (eg. 'a==a'). The [oe] ligature is rendered as 'oe'.
Superscripted letters are indicated with a carat '^' as in 'K^t'. Where
multiple characters are superscripted, { } are used, as in 'M^{rs.}'
The text includes Greek and several instances of Hebrew, both of which
are transliterated, and denoted with '+' delimiters as '+greek+' or
+hebrew+.
The apothecary's symbol for 'ounce', occuring once, is rendered as [-3],
which it resembles. The letter m, with a macron, is rendered as [=m].
Please consult the more detailed notes at the end of this text.
THE ENGLISH LIBRARY
THE WORKS OF
SIR THOMAS BROWNE
VOLUME III
THE WORKS OF
SIR THOMAS BROWNE
Edited by
CHARLES SAYLE
VOLUME III
EDINBURGH
JOHN GRANT
1907
PREFATORY NOTE
In concluding the present edition of Sir Thomas Browne's works,
attention may be drawn to the reprint of the _Hydriotaphia_, from the
first edition of 1658. The copy collated was the one preserved in the
Library of Trinity College, Cambridge. In this, in addition to the
corrections made at the time of publication on the printed label
attached, there are a few others made by a contemporary hand, which
deserve consideration. Among these is the excision of a sentence
hitherto preserved in the text, and now relegated to the margin (p.
205). If further sanction were needed for the change indicated, it may
be gathered from the inscription on the title-page, 'Ex dono Auctoris.'
The text of the _Christian Morals_ of 1716 has been collated with the
copy in the same Library.
For the account of Birds and Fishes found in Norfolk (pp. 513-539),
Professor Alfred Newton generously placed his annotated copy at the
disposal of the editor. As those actual pages were in the press,
Professor Newton passed away, and Death has deprived us of the pleasure
of placing this volume in his hands. In this edition Professor Newton's
readings have been in the main followed, with the additional help of the
valuable recension, published by Mr. Thomas Southwell of Norwich, in
1902, to which every serious student of this treatise must always refer.
For further assistance in questions of identification, I am again
indebted to the kindness of Mr. W. Aldis Wright; and for one correction
to Mr. A. R. Waller.
Sir Thomas Browne's Latin treatises and his correspondence are not
included in these volumes. It was the determination of the original
publisher of this edition that they should be omitted; and indeed they
do not form the most characteristic part of Sir Thomas Browne's work.
His erudition, and the resources from which he drew, his amazing
industry, his marvellous diction, and natural piety--all these are
apparent to the general reader of his English text; and it is to such
that the present edition of Sir Thomas Browne's works, as they
originally appeared, will primarily appeal.
C. S.
_16th June 1907._
CONTENTS
Page
PREFATORY NOTE BY THE EDITOR, v
PSEUDODOXIA EPIDEMICA--
THE SEVENTH BOOK:
1. Of the Forbidden Fruit, 1
2. That a Man hath one Rib less then a Woman, 5
3. Of Methuselah, 8
4. That there was no Rain-bow before the Flood, 11
5. Of Sem, Ham, and Japhet, 15
6. That the Tower of Babel was erected against a Second Deluge, 17
7. Of the Mandrakes of Leah, 19
8. Of the three Kings of Collein, 25
9. Of the food of John Baptist, Locust and Wild Honey, 27
10. That John Evangelist should not die, 29
11. More compendiously of some others, 36
12. Of the Cessation of Oracles, 39
13. Of the death of Aristotle, 42
14. Of the Wish of Philoxenus, 49
15. Of the Lake Asphaltites, 52
16. Of divers other Relations, 56
17. Of some others, 65
18. More briefly of some others, 74
19. Of some Relations whose truth we fear, 81
HYDRIOTAPHIA AND THE GARDEN OF CYRUS (1658), 87
Epistle to Thomas Le Gros, 89
Epistle to Nicholas Bacon, 93
HYDRIOTAPHIA, 97
THE GARDEN OF CYRUS, 145
The Stationer to the Reader, 211
CERTAIN MISCELLANY TRACTS (1684), 213
The Publisher to the Reader, 215
1. Observations upon several Plants mentioned in Scripture, 218
2. Of Garlands and Coronary or Garden-plants, 281
3. Of the Fishes eaten by Our Saviour, 286
4. An Answer to certain Queries relating to
Fishes, Birds, Insects, 289
5. Of Hawks and Falconry, 294
6. Of Cymbals, etc., 301
7. Of Ropalic or Gradual Verses, etc., 304
8. Of Languages, and particularly of the Saxon Tongue, 307
9. Of Artificial Hills, Mounts or Burrows, 322
10. Of Troas, etc., 326
11. Of the Answers of Apollo at Delphos to Croesus, 333
12. A Prophecy concerning several Nations, 342
13. Musæum Clausum, or Bibliotheca Abscondita, 350
A LETTER TO A FRIEND (1690), 367
POSTHUMOUS WORKS (1712), 395
Repertorium, or some Account of the
Tombs and Monuments in the Cathedral
Church of Norwich in 1680, 397
MISCELLANIES:
1. An Account of Island, _alias_ Ice-land, in 1662, 427
2. Concerning some Urnes found in Brampton-Field,
in Norfolk, in 1667, 430
3. Concerning too nice Curiosity, 437
4. Upon reading Hudibras, 438
CHRISTIAN MORALS (1716), 439
Dedication, 441
Preface, 442
CHRISTIAN MORALS, 443
NOTES ON CERTAIN BIRDS FOUND IN NORFOLK, 513
NOTES ON CERTAIN FISHES AND MARINE ANIMALS FOUND
IN NORFOLK, 526
ON THE OSTRICH, 540
BOULIMIA CENTENARIA, 544
UPON THE DARK MIST, 27TH NOVEMBER 1674, 545
ACCOUNT OF A THUNDERSTORM AT NORWICH, 1665, 548
ON DREAMS, 550
OBSERVATIONS ON GRAFTING, 555
CORRIGENDA, 559
INDEX, 561
PLATES
EN SUM QUOD DIGITIS QUINQUE, _to face page_ 97
QUID QUINCUNCE SPECIOSIUS, " 147
THE SEVENTH BOOK
Concerning many Historical Tenents generally received, and some deduced
from the history of holy Scripture.
CHAPTER I
Of the Forbidden Fruit.
[Sidenote: _Opinions, of what kind the forbidden fruit was._]
That the Forbidden fruit of Paradise was an Apple, is commonly believed,
confirmed by Tradition, perpetuated by Writings, Verses, Pictures; and
some have been so bad _Prosodians_, as from thence to derive the Latine
word _malum_, because that fruit was the first occasion of evil; wherein
notwithstanding determinations are presumptuous, and many I perceive are
of another belief. For some have, conceived it a Vine; in the mystery of
whose fruit lay the expiation of the transgression: _Goropius Becanus_
reviving the conceit of _Barcephas_, peremptorily concludeth it to be
the _Indian_ Fig-tree; and by a witty Allegory labours to confirm the
same. Again, some fruits pass under the name of _Adams_ apples, which in
common acception admit not that appellation; the one described by
_Mathiolus_ under the name of _Pomum Adami_, a very fair fruit, and not
unlike a Citron, but somewhat rougher, chopt and cranied, vulgarly
conceived the marks of _Adams_ teeth. Another, the fruit of that plant
which _Serapion_ termeth _Musa_, but the Eastern Christians commonly the
Apples of Paradise; not resembling an apple in figure, and in taste a
Melon or Cowcomber. Which fruits although they have received
appellations suitable unto the tradition, yet can we not from thence
infer they were this fruit in question: No more then _Arbor vitæ_, so
commonly called, to obtain its name from the tree of life in Paradise,
or _Arbor Judæ_, to be the same which supplied the gibbet unto _Judas_.
Again, There is no determination in the Text; wherein is only
particulared that it was the fruit of a tree good for food, and
pleasant unto the eye, in which regards many excell the Apple; and
therefore learned men do wisely conceive it inexplicable; and _Philo_
puts determination unto despair, when he affirmeth the same kind of
fruit was never produced since. Surely were it not requisite to have
been concealed, it had not passed unspecified; nor the tree revealed
which concealed their nakedness, and that concealed which revealed it;
for in the same chapter mention is made of fig-leaves. And the like
particulars, although they seem uncircumstantial, are oft set down in
holy Scripture; so is it specified that _Elias_ sat under a juniper
tree, _Absalom_ hanged by an Oak, and _Zacheus_ got up into a Sycomore.
And although to condemn such Indeterminables unto him that demanded on
what hand _Venus_ was wounded, the Philosopher thought it a sufficient
resolution to re-inquire upon what leg King _Philip_ halted; and the
_Jews_ not undoubtedly resolved of the Sciatica-side of _Jacob_ [SN:
Jacobs _Sciatica_, see _Gen._ 32. 25, 31, 32.], do cautelously in their
diet abstain from the sinews of both: yet are there many nice
particulars which may be authentically determined. That _Peter_ cut off
the right ear of _Malchus_, is beyond all doubt. That our Saviour eat
the Passover in an upper room, we may determine from the Text. And some
we may concede which the Scripture plainly defines not. That the Dyal of
_Ahaz_ was placed upon the West side of the Temple, we will not deny, or
contradict the description of _Adricomius_. That _Abrahams_ servant put
his hand under his right thigh, we shall not question; and that the
Thief on the right hand was saved, and the other on the left reprobated,
to make good the Method of the last judicial dismission, we are ready to
admit. But surely in vain we enquire of what wood was _Moses_ rod, or
the tree that sweetned the waters. Or though tradition or humane
History might afford some light, whether the Crown of thorns was made of
Paliurus; Whether the cross of Christ were made of those four woods in
the Distick of _Durantes_ [SN: Pes ceorus est, truncus cupressus, oliva
supremum, palmaq; transversum Christi sunt in cruce lignum.], or only of
Oak, according unto _Lipsius_ and _Goropius_, we labour not to
determine. For though hereof prudent Symbols and pious Allegories be
made by wiser Conceivers; yet common heads will flie unto superstitious
applications, and hardly avoid miraculous or magical expectations.
Now the ground or reason that occasioned this expression by an Apple,
might be the community of this fruit, and which is often taken for any
other. So the Goddess of Gardens is termed _Pomona_; so the Proverb
expresseth it to give Apples unto _Alcinous; so_ the fruit which _Paris_
decided was called an Apple; so in the garden of _Hesperides_ (which
many conceive a fiction drawn from Paradise) we read of golden Apples
guarded by the Dragon. And to speak strictly in this appellation, they
placed it more safely then any other; for beside the great variety of
Apples, the word in Greek comprehendeth Orenges, Lemmons, Citrons,
Quinces; and as _Ruellius_ defineth [SN: _Ruel._ de stirpium natura.],
such fruits as have no stone within, and a soft covering without;
excepting the Pomegranate. And will extend much farther in the acception
of _Spigelius_ [SN: Isagoge in rem Herbariam.], who comprehendeth all
round fruits under the name of apples, not excluding Nuts and Plumbs.
It hath been promoted in some constructions from a passage in the
_Canticle_ [SN: _Can._ 8.], as it runs in the vulgar translation, _Sub
arbore malo suscitavi te, ibi corrupta est mater tua, ibi violata est
genetrix tua_; Which words notwithstanding parabolically intended, admit
no literal inference, and are of little force in our translation, I
raised thee under an Apple-tree, there thy mother brought thee forth,
there she brought thee forth that bare thee. So when from a basket of
summer fruits or apples, as the vulgar rendreth them, God by _Amos_
foretold the destruction of his people, we cannot say they had any
reference unto the fruit of Paradise, which was the destruction of man;
but thereby was declared the propinquity of their desolation, and that
their tranquility was of no longer duration then those horary or soon
decaying fruits of Summer. Nor when it is said in the same translation
[SN: Fructus horæi.], _Poma desiderii animæ tuæ discesserunt à te_, the
apples that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, is there any
allusion therein unto the fruit of Paradise. But thereby is threatned
unto _Babylon_, that the pleasures and delights of their Palate should
forsake them. And we read in _Pierius_, that an Apple was the
Hieroglyphick of Love, and that the Statua of _Venus_ was made with one
in her hand. So the little Cupids in the figures of _Philostratus_ [SN:
_Philostrat._ figur. 6. De amoribus.] do play with apples in a garden;
and there want not some who have symbolized the Apple of Paradise unto
such constructions.
Since therefore after this fruit, curiosity fruitlesly enquireth, and
confidence blindly determineth, we shall surcease our Inquisition;
rather troubled that it was tasted, then troubling our selves in its
decision; this only we observe, when things are left uncertain, men will
assure them by determination. Which is not only verified concerning the
fruit, but the Serpent that perswaded; many defining the kind or species
thereof. [SN: _Opinions of what kind the Serpent was_, etc.] So
_Bonaventure_ and _Comestor_ affirm it was a Dragon, _Eugubinus_ a
Basilisk, _Delrio_ a Viper, and others a common snake. Wherein men still
continue the delusion of the Serpent, who having deceived _Eve_ in the
main, sets her posterity on work to mistake in the circumstance, and
endeavours to propagate errors at any hand. And those he surely most
desireth which concern either God or himself; for they dishonour God
who is absolute truth and goodness; but for himself, who is extreamly
evil, and the worst we can conceive, by aberration of conceit they may
extenuate his depravity, and ascribe some goodness unto him.