Read The Major Works (English Library) Online
Authors: Sir Thomas Browne
The Major Works (English Library) (18 page)
14. Now there is another part of charity, which is the Basis and Pillar of this, and that is the love of God, for whom wee love our neighbour: for this I thinke charity, to love God for himselfe, and our neighbour for God. All that is truely amiable is God, or as it were a divided piece of him, that retaines a reflex or shadow of himselfe. Nor is it strange that wee should place affection on that which is invisible, all that wee truely love is thus, what wee adore under affection of our senses, deserves not the honour of so pure a title. Thus wee adore vertue, though to the eyes of sense shee bee invisible. Thus that part of our noble friends that wee love, is not that part that we embrace, but that insensible part that our armes cannot embrace.
136
God being all goodnesse, can love nothing but himselfe, hee loves us but for that part which is as it were himselfe, and the traduction
137
of his holy Spirit. Let us call to assize the lives of our parents, the affection of our wives and children, and they are all dumbe showes,
138
and dreames, without reality, truth, or constancy; for first there is a strong bond of affection betweene us and our parents, yet how easily dissolved? We betake our selves to a woman, forgetting our mothers in a wife, and the wombe that bare us in that that shall beare our image. This woman blessing us with children, our affections leaves the levell it held before, and sinkes from our bed unto our issue and picture of posterity, where affection holds no steady mansion. They growing up in yeares desire our ends, or applying themselves to a woman, take a lawfull way to love another better than our selves. Thus I perceive a man may bee buried alive, and behold his grave in his owne issue.
15. I conclude therefore and say, there is no happinesse under (or as
Copernicus
139
will have it, above) the Sunne, nor any Crambe
140
in that repeated veritie and burthen of all the wisedom of
Solomon, All is vanitie and vexation of spirit
;
141
there is no felicity in that the world adores.
Aristotle
whilst hee labours to refute the Idea’s of
Plato
, fals upon one himselfe: for his
summum bonum
,
142
is a
Chimera
, and there is no such thing as his Felicity. That wherein God himselfe is happy, the holy Angels are happy, in whose defect the Devils are unhappy; that dare I call happinesse: whatsoever conduceth unto this, may with an easie Metaphor deserve that name; whatsoever else the world termes happines, is to me a story out of
Pliny
, an apparition, or neat delusion, wherein there is no more of happinesse than the name. Blesse mee in this life with but the peace of my conscience, command of my affections, the love of thy selfe and my dearest
friends,
143
and I shall be happy enough to pity
Cæsar
. These are O Lord the humble desires of my most reasonable ambition and all I dare call happinesse on earth: wherein I set no rule or limit to thy hand or providence, dispose of me according to the wisedome
144
of thy pleasure. Thy will bee done, though in my owne undoing.
145
[
Pseudodoxia Epidemica
:
or, Enquiries into Very many Received Tenents, and commonly Presumed Truths
was first published in 1646; five other editions followed, each carefully revised and/or augmented, to 1672. The title page carries a quotation, in Latin, from Julius Scaliger: ‘To cull from books what authors have reported is exceedingly dangerous; true knowledge of things themselves is out of the things themselves’ [
§ 190
]. See also the discussion above,
pp. 32
ff.; and for further biographical details: below,
p. 553
.
The selections here reprinted are from the second edition of 1650 (‘Corrected and much Enlarged by the Author’), except for one chapter borrowed from the third edition of 1658 (see
pp. 216–20
). The titles of all omitted chapters are given as part of the text in order to preserve its continuity. I have also reproduced Browne’s marginal notes – but not those by ‘some strange hand’ which, as we are told in the prefatory remarks by ‘N.N.’, merely ‘invite or fix the Readers eye upon some things (among as many other omitted) which he thought observable’. As ‘N.N.’ sagely adds, the Reader would be well advised ‘never [to] judge of the Authours Sense solely by the Note in the Margin, but (and that principally,) by reflexion, and consideration of the Text it self’.]
SELECTIONS
Of the Causes of Common Errors
Of the second cause of Popular Errors
Of the nearer and more Immediate Causes of popular errours
Of the last and common promoter of false Opinions
B
OOK
II (Tenets concerning Minerals and Vegetable Bodies)
B
OOK
III (Tenets concerning Animals)
Of Sperma-Ceti, and the Sperma-Ceti Whale
Compendiously of sundry Tenents concerning other Animals
B
OOK
IV (Tenets concerning Man)
Of the great Climactericall year
B
OOK
V (Things Questionable as described in Pictures)
Of the Picture of Adam and Eve with Navels
Of the Hieroglyphicall Pictures of the Æyptians
Compendiously of many questionable Customes
B
OOK
VI (Opinions Cosmographical and Historical)
C
HAP
.X.
Of the Blacknesse of Negroes
That a Man hath one Rib lesse then a Woman
Would Truth dispense, we could be content, with Plato, that knowledge were but Remembrance; that Intellectuall acquisition were but Reminiscentiall evocation, and new impressions but the colourishing of old stamps which stood pale in the soul before. For, what is worse, knowledge is made by oblivion; and to purchase a clear and warrantable body of Truth, we must forget and part with much we know. Our tender Enquiries taking up Learning at large, and together with true and assured notions, receiving many, wherein our reviewing judgements doe finde no satisfaction; and therefore in this Encyclopædie and round of knowledge, like the great and exemplary wheeles of heaven, we must observe two Circles: that while we are daily carried about, and whirled on by the swinge and rapt of the one, we may maintain a naturall and proper course, in the slow and sober wheele of the other. And this we shall more readily perform, if we timely survey our knowledge; impartially singling out those encroachments, which junior compliance and popular credulity hath admitted. Whereof at present we have endeavoured a long and serious
Adviso;
proposing not only a large and copious List, but from experience and reason attempting their decisions.
And first we crave exceeding pardon in the audacity of the Attempt; humbly acknowledging a work of such concernment unto Truth, and difficulty in it self, did well deserve the conjunction of many heads: And surely more advantageous had it been unto Truth, to have fallen into the endeavours of some cooperating advancers, that might have performed it to the life, and added authority thereto: which the privacie of our condition, and unequall abilities cannot expect. Whereby notwithstanding we have not been diverted, nor have our solitary attempts been so discouraged, as to despair the favourable look of Learning upon our single and unsupported endeavours.
Nor have we let fall our Penne, upon discouragement of contradiction, unbelief, and difficulty of disswasion from radicated
1
beliefs, and points of high prescription; although we are very sensible how hardly teaching years doe learn, what roots old age contracteth into
errors, and how such as are but Acorns in our younger brows, grow Oaks in our elder heads, and become inflexible unto the powerfullest arm of reason. Although we have also beheld, what cold requitals others have found in their severall redemptions of Truth; and how their ingenious enquiries have been dismissed with censure, and obloquie of singularities.
Some consideration we hope from the course of our Profession; which though it leadeth us into many Truths that passe undiscerned by others, yet doth it disturb their communications, and much interrupt the office of our Pens in their well intended transmissions: and therefore surely in this work attempts will exceed performances: it being composed by snatches of time, as medicall vacations, and the fruitlesse importunity of Uroscopy
2
would permit us. And therefore also perhaps it hath not found that regular and constant stile, those infallible experiments, and those assured determinations, which the subject sometime requireth, and might be expected from others, whose quiet doors and unmolested hours afford no such distractions. Although who shall indifferently perpend
3
the exceeding difficulty, which either the obscurity of the subject, or unavoidable paradoxologie
4
must often put upon the Attemptor, will easily discern, a work of this nature is not to be performed upon one legge, and should smell of oyle
5
if duly and deservedly handled.
Our first intentions considering the common interest of Truth, resolved to propose it unto the Latine republicke and equall judges of Europe; but owing in the first place this service unto our Countrey, and therein especially unto its ingenious Gentry, we have declared our self in a Language best conceived. Although I confesse, the quality of the Subject will sometimes carry us into expressions beyond meer English apprehensions; and indeed if elegancie still proceedeth, and English Pens maintain that stream we have of late observed to flow from many, we shall within few years be fain to learn Latine to understand English, and a work will prove of equall facility in either. Nor have we addressed our Penne or stile unto the people, (whom Books doe not redresse, and are this way incapable of reduction) but unto the knowing
and leading part of Learning; as well understanding (at least probably hoping) except they be watered from higher regions, and fructifying meteors of knowledge, these weeds must lose their alimentall sappe and wither of themselves; whose conserving influence, could our endeavours prevent, we should trust the rest unto the sytbe of Time, and hopefull dominion of Truth.
We hope it will not be unconsidered, that we finde no open tract, or constant manuduction
6
in this Labyrinth; but are oft-times fain to wander in the America and untravelled parts of Truth; For though not many years past, Dr Primrose hath made a learned and full Discourse of vulgar Errors in Physick, yet have we discussed but two or three thereof. Scipio Mercurij hath also left an excellent Tract in Italian concerning popular Errors; but confining himself only unto those in Physick, he hath little conduced unto the generality of our Doctrine. Laurentius Joubertus, by the same Title led our expectation into thoughts of great relief; whereby notwithstanding we reaped no advantage; it answering scarce at all the promise of the inscription. Nor perhaps (if it were yet extant) should we finde any farther Assistance from that ancient piece of Andreas, pretending the same Title
.
7
And therefore we are often constrained to stand alone against the strength of opinion; and to meet the Goliah and Giant of Authority, with contemptible pibbles, and feeble arguments, drawn from the scrip and slender stock of our selves. Nor have we indeed scarce named any Author whose Name we doe not honour; and if detraction could invite us, discretion surely would contain us from any derogatory intention, where highest Pens and friendliest eloquence must fail in commendation.
And therefore also we cannot but hope the equitable considerations and candour of reasonable mindes. We cannot expect the frown of
Theologie
herein; nor can they which behold the present state of things, and controversie of points so long received in Divinity, condemn our sober enquiries in the doubtfull appertinancies of Arts, and Receptaries
8
of Philosophy. Surely Philologers and Criticall Discoursers, who look beyond the shell and obvious exteriours of things, will not be angry with our narrower explorations. And we cannot doubt, our brothers in Physick (whose knowledge in Naturals will lead
them into a nearer apprehension of many things delivered) will friendly accept, if not countenance our endeavours. Nor can we conceive, it may be unwelcome unto those honoured Worthies, who endeavour the advancement of Learning:
9
as being likely to finde a clearer progression, when so many rubbes are levelled, and many untruths taken off, which passing as principles with common beliefs, disturb the tranquillity of Axiomes, which otherwise might be raised. And wise men cannot but know, that Arts and Learning want this expurgation: and if the course of truth be permitted unto its self, like that of Time and uncorrected computations, it cannot escape many errours, which duration still enlargeth.
Lastly, We are not Magisteriall in opinions, nor have we Dictator-like obtruded our conceptions; but in the humility of Enquiries or disquisitions, have only proposed them unto more ocular discerners.
10
And therefore opinions are free, and open it is for any to think or declare the contrary. And we shall so farre encourage contradiction, as to promise no disturbance, or reoppose any Penne, that shall Fallaciously refute us; that shall only lay hold of our lapses, single out Digressions, Corollaries, or Ornamentall conceptions, to evidence his own in as indifferent truths. And shall only take notice of such, whose experimentall and judicious knowledge shall solemnly look upon it; not only to destroy of ours, but to establish of his own, not to traduce or extenuate, but to explain and dilucidate, to adde and ampliate, according to the laudable custome of the Ancients in their sober promotions of Learning. Unto whom notwithstanding, we shall not contentiously rejoin, or only to justifie our own, but to applaud or confirm his maturer assertions; and shall conferre what is in us unto his name and honour; Ready to be swallowed in any worthy enlarger: as having acquired our end, if any way, or under any name we may obtain a worke, so much desired, and yet desiderated of Truth.
THOMAS
BROWNE
.
