Browne's 'Religio Medici

7 Annotations

First Reading

Bob Blair  •  Link

Sir Thomas Browne's "Religion of a Doctor" (http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~rbea…) was a "best seller" when it appeared in 1643. Within two years it was on the Vatican Index. The spirit of the work is captured in its opening lines:

"For my religion, though there be several circumstances that might persuade the world I have none at all,--as the general scandal of my profession,--the natural course of my studies,--the indifferency of my behaviour and discourse in matters of religion (neither violently defending one, nor with that common ardour and contention opposing another),-- yet, in despite hereof, I dare without usurpation assume the honourable style of a Christian."

The substance of the objections to _Religion Medici_ were that it substituted wit for religion. A thorough analysis, which expresses opinions that Pepys probably shared, was written by Sir Kenhelm Digby: http://penelope.uchicago.edu/relm…

Michael Robinson  •  Link

Edition in the Pepysian Library

Browne, Thomas, Sir, 1605-1682.
The works of the learned Sr Thomas Brown, Kt. Doctor of Physick, late of Norwich. Containing I. Enquiries into vulgar and common errors. II. Religio medici: with annotations and observations upon it. III. Hydriotaphia; or, Urn-Burial: together with the garden of Cyrus. IV. Certain miscellany tracts. With alphabetical tables.
London : printed for Tho. Basset, Ric. Chiswell, Tho. Sawbridge, Charles Mearn, and Charles Brome, MDCLXXXVI. [1686]
[20], 316, [26], 102, [8], 52, [6], 68, 99-103, [5] p. : port. ; 2⁰
Wing (CD-ROM, 1996), B5150

cumgranosalis  •  Link

thy can read it 'ere:
"...CERTAINLY that man were greedy of life, who should desire to live when all the world were at an end; and he must needs be very impatient, who would repine at death in the society of all things that suffer under it. Had not almost every man suffered by the press, or were not the tyranny thereof become universal, I had not wanted reason for complaint: but in times wherein I have lived to behold the highest perversion of that excellent invention, the name of his Majesty defamed, the honour of Parliament depraved, the writings of both depravedly, anticipatively...."

http://www.uoregon.edu/~rbear/bro…

lots of juicy quotes 'ere:
http://www.worldofquotes.com/auth…
The voice of the world ["Charity begins at home"].
Topic: Charity
Source: Religio Medici

A. Hamilton  •  Link

Browne's high irony, wit and style can be found in this famous sentence from Urn Burial:( from memory, so perhaps off a word or two)
"Man is a noble animal, splendid in ashes and pompous in the grave, solemnizing nativities and deaths with equal lustre, nor ommitting ceremonies of bravery in the infamy of his nature."

Second Reading

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References

Chart showing the number of references in each month of the diary’s entries.

1664