Browse Exhibits (24 total)
Difficult Terms
An English Dictionary Explaining the Difficult Terms that are used in Divinity, Husbrandry, Physick, Philosophy, Law, Navigation, Mathematicks, and other Arts and Sciences is a long title for an extrememly condensed and thus very small book. It was written by Elisha Cole, a schoolmaster and lexicographer. This is his only book touching on the subject of science, while his other studies usually surround language and its uses.
This edition was printed in 1724 in London for R. and J. Bonwicke as well as R. Wilkin.
Discours en Français
In 1620, French physician Andre du Laurens wrote Discours de la Conservation de la Veue, des Maladies Melancholiques des Catarrhes. A notable physician, du Laurens even even served at the French court of Henry VI. He wrote many anatomy textbooks, but this discourse was his most popular work as it was written for the lay man. Du Laurens was one of the first to write on aging and other topics concerning gerontology.
This edition is not translated from its original French, thus making exploration of the text quite difficult. Nonetheless, the basic structure of the arguments, being in four speeches (or discours) can be determined.
Explaining the World--Again
A New Theory of the Earth was written by William Whiston, a priest and mathmetician. One of his goals was that sought to bring religion and science into harmony.
This was his most famous work, in which he argued that the Biblical events of Creation, Noah’s Flood, and the apocalypse could be supported by science.
This edition was printed in London in1696 by an R. Roberts.
Ladies and Gentlemen, THE Robert Boyle
A highlight of the Special Collections treasure trove of science literate is The Works of the Honourable Robert Boyle, the famous English scientist. Boyle is famous for many things, including the experimental method and one of the first air pumps. He was greatly inspired by Francis Bacon and other scholars who paved the way into empirical science.
This is a collection covering a huge range of his writings, including a section on his life. It mostly covers his experiments and explanations.
This edition was published in London in 1772 and printed for J. and F. Rivington, among many others.
Many Not Common Observations
A Natural History: Containing Many Not Common Observations was written by Thomas Pope Blount. Not a scientist in any respect, Blount was an English Baronet and was a member of Parliament for St Albans and Hertfordshire at different times. He wrote other works with the similar model of a book on random topics.
This edition was printed in 1693 in London by an R. Bentley.
Monstrous Fish
De Piscibus Libri was written by Ulysses Aldrovandi, an Italian naturalist. The text remains in its original Latin. Aldrovandi was particularly known for having collected a large cabinet of curiosities of the natural world by his death, especially in the area of botany.
Only some of his works were published during his lifetime; this book was not one.
Published in Bologna in 1638.
Our First Numismatist
Rariora Naturae & Artis, by Johann Christian Kundmann, is quite a collection of observations. The author was a German physician and numismatist (a coin collector), making for not only a uniqe source but a unique result.
This edition was published in 1737 in Bresslau for Ben Michael Hubert.
Pure Magick
Natural Magick was written by Giambattista della Porta, an Italian scholar who performed many scientific endeavors, often in the more unusual areas of the field. He was particularly interested in technological advances in many areas of science, and also helped form some of the first scientific societies where other scholars could collaborate.
Fun fact: he was also a playwright with something like twenty works.
The work itself was very popular during the period, and went though many different editions. The Special Collection holds a facsimile of this book, printed in 1957, of the 1658 original.
The original was published in London for Thomas Young and Samuel Speed.
Spoiler Alert: There Are Tarantulas
Opera Omnia Medico-Practica et Anatomica was written by Georgio Baglivi, an Italian physician and scientist. He wanted to discourage the philosophical discourse that had been applied to medicine and return to the Hippocratic method and Bacon’s emphasis on experiments and observations.
This edition remains in Latin, not translated and it was published by Lugduni Batavorum and Theodorum Haak in 1719.
The Big Book of Chemicals
The Complete Chemical Dispensary in Five Books is written by John Schroeder. Little can be found on him other than the book’s claim of being “that most famous and faithful chemist.”
The work was translated from Latin to English by William Rowland, also a doctor, and a translator for many other works.
Printed in 1669 in London by John Darby.