Sir Thomas Browne (1605–1682)

This might be a lesson in not to re-read. When I first read Religio Medici, I had no idea what to expect - the musings on a 17th Century doctor on religion and the nature of life might not sound up my street. Well I loved it; it took me completely by surprise and I thought he had the most fascinating mind. At times he sounded positively medieval, at others startlingly modern, he;s on the cusp of the modern world and it shows in the odd mixture of superstition, belief and genuine enquiry. show more
Trouble with trying to re-read a book like that is the surprise element is gone and you're expecting to be blown away again, when nothing is going to live up to expectations that high. So I'm feeling a bit flat, like the re-read has spoilt the magic of the first read.
This time, however, I did read the other writings in this edition. And they were an equally mixed bag. he last piece, particularly, sounded very different in tone, far more rigid and didactic than the tone of Religio Medici. It felt to have been written by a much older man, more set in hos ways and no longer keen on embracing the new with a spirit of curiosity.
So I'm pleased I've finally got round to reading more of his work, but I wish I hadn't read Religio Medici again - I should have kept the rose tinted glasses in place. show less

Wow. I went into this book not knowing at all what to expect. The musings of a middle ages doctor on the nature of religion is probably not typical of my reading. But it's a book I intend to find a copy of and can see myself reading it again. It's not an easy read, the language is dated, the sentence structure is extremely unfamiliar to the modern reader. It is not a structured philosophy, it's more stream of consciousness, moving from one topic to another based on where the previous thought show more hand ended up, it's not a proof of something, nor a rebuttal, it is simply his thoughts and ideas written down.
He's writing this in the 1630s (date unknown, it was never intended for publication, although he had it published in 1660 after a number of unauthorised and incomplete copies had been published) and he is a creature of his time. In another 100 years we'd be in the middle of the enlightenment and thought would sound far more modern, back another 100 years and you're in the middle ages and another world. He is living on the cusp, when there is so much change in thought about nature, religion, science and the place of mankind, and that is reflected in his writings. As times he sounds entirely from the middle ages:
"Thus it is impossible, by any solid or demonstrative reasons, to persuade a man to believe the conversion of the Needle to the North; though this be positive and true, and easily credible, upon a single experiment unto sense." He doesn't have the knowledge that the earth's core is magnetic and the compass points to the magnetic pole. That was first postulated at the beginning of the century, but he's not convinced, as the proof isn't easy to see. Similarly, he doubts the heliocentric solar system "Some have held that Snow is black, that the earth moves, that the Soul is Air, Fire and Water; but all this is Philosophy:" It's a denying of scientific theory that has behind it a religious sensibility and an apparent contradiction - he's prepared to believe in a God without any proof, but not a scientific theory.
At other times he is startlingly contemporary. Ignoring the language, tell me this isn't a thought from the modern era, "... we vainly accuse the fury of guns, and the new inventions of death:- it is in the power of every hand to destroy us, and we are beholden unto every one we meet, he doth not kill us."
This is something entirely outside my usual reading experience, but I'm very glad I read it. This is one man I want to meet, I want to meet the owner of the brain that produced such a wide ranging set of thoughts. At times he is frustrating, at times he is dated, but he is more than that. He is open to ideas, he is open to learning, and he thinks himself unknowing yet pities those who have no learning (the thought behind this sentence could have been written by me: I cannot contemn a man for ignorance, but behold him with as much pity as I do Lazarus.). He wants to explore the world that he believes has been created by God. This is a man from a vastly different time, yet I sense a meeting of minds. show less

I found myself wandering down a rather unexpected reading rabbit hole: I finished Jill Lepore's Book of Ages (a biography of Ben Franklin's sister Jane), and that led me to Virginia Woolf's Orlando; when I finished Orlando the thing I wanted to read right off was Sir Thomas Browne's Religio Medici. The trajectory actually makes a great deal of sense now that I've finished all three books, but in the moment I kept thinking about the strangeness of it all.

There's a very good reason Browne's show more works are still published and enjoyed: the two pieces included in this volume, though written in the middle years of the seventeenth century, are among the most clearly written and well argued essays I've ever read. While I do not always agree with his conclusions (and in some areas of Urne-Buriall he's just completely wrong), Browne's utterly brilliant use of language is a real treat. There were more than a few times where I found myself reading out loud, just to hear how the prose felt when spoken.

Not only as an example of beautiful prose, Religio Medici is also a truly provocative attempt to reconcile science and religion, and both works here meditate on human mortality and aging. The two are separated by a fair number of years, though, and the differences in Browne's own style and attitudes are evident in the later work. I liked both, but in rather different ways. And it would have been fascinating to see what Browne thought of Religio Medici later in life, as his own views on family life, other religions, and mortality evolved over time.

Highly recommended, and this edition made be particularly good as an introduction to Browne's works. I confess, I've already been hunting down some others since I finished this ... show less

Two of the most renowned and enduring pieces of prose from the 17th century in England are *Religio Medici* and *Urne-Buriall*, written by Sir Thomas Browne. These works demonstrate Browne's singular intelligence, mastery of style, and profound reflections on faith, life, death, and the human condition. Together, these pieces provide a striking window into the thoughts of a Renaissance man pondering the eternal questions of life and the scientific discoveries of his era. Religio Medici is a show more profoundly intimate and reflective work that was first circulated in manuscript form before being published in an authorized edition in 1643. It functions as Browne's spiritual autobiography, an open examination of his Christian beliefs as they relate to his work as a doctor. This was a radical undertaking in a century marked by severe religious conflict because it dared to offer a complex, accepting, and frequently contradictory understanding of belief.

Urne-Buriall is a meditation that was published in 1658.ion on mortality, memory, and the futility of human attempts to defy oblivion. The work was prompted by the discovery of ancient burial urns in Norfolk, near Browne's home, leading him to explore diverse funerary customs across history and cultures.

Reading *Religio Medici* and *Urne-Buriall* together provides a comprehensive experience of Thomas Browne's unique genius. Both works highlight his eclectic knowledge, his deeply introspective nature, and his unparalleled command of the English language. They are not easy reads, requiring patience and an appreciation for the baroque style and dense allusions. However, the reward is an encounter with a mind that effortlessly traverses the realms of science, philosophy, theology, and poetry, offering timeless insights into the human condition.

For those interested in 17th-century literature, the history of ideas, or simply magnificent prose, these two essays are indispensable. They remain a testament to Browne's enduring legacy as a singular figure in English letters. This is an inspiring work for all who love words and appreciate erudition. That does not take away from the imaginative largesse of Browne's prose. The glossary and notes included in this edition are helpful to all who are not scholars of the history of literature. show less