There is one error that novels have led us into, though probably only one. While they often leave us with a clearer and better understanding of life than life itself is able to afford us, they have also been known to leave the unfortunate impression that personality is a personal matter – as if itContinue reading “Smatterings of the Philosopher’s Stone – Chapter 2, Part 6: Personality”
Author Archives: arkadypyotrovich
Smatterings of the Philosopher’s Stone – Chapter 2, part 5: Religio Medici, I
When I came to writing this chapter, I had in my mind’s eye swathes of lofty exposition on Platonism and its heir Hermeticism; and I looked forward to it, and I was all the more sure because such good scholars have approached Browne with excellent histories of that philosophy. Only, the idea never left myContinue reading “Smatterings of the Philosopher’s Stone – Chapter 2, part 5: Religio Medici, I”
Smatterings of the Philosopher’s Stone – Chapter 2, part 4 – Broadmindedness
In the nineteenth section of Religio Medici we find the physician in a striking pose. It is so ludicrous, yet so thoroughly representative, that we feel as though we might at last have found the secret double spring of his sanity and his insanity. He appears before us as an exhaustive scholar, an inexpert layman,Continue reading “Smatterings of the Philosopher’s Stone – Chapter 2, part 4 – Broadmindedness”
Smatterings of the Philosopher’s Stone – Chapter 2, part 3: On Protestants and the Peace of the Church
The wonder of it is that, being a man of his time, the humble physician can call it ‘uncharitable to fall upon those popular scurrilities and opprobrious scoffs at the Bishop of Rome,’ or say that, not forgetting the ‘general charity he owes to humanity,’ he rather pities than hates ‘Turks, infidels’ and (most malignedContinue reading “Smatterings of the Philosopher’s Stone – Chapter 2, part 3: On Protestants and the Peace of the Church”
Smatterings of the Philosopher’s Stone – Chapter 2, part 2: A Critical Misunderstanding
‘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 [impartiality] of my behaviour and discourse in matters of religion, neither violently defending one, nor with that common ardour and contention opposingContinue reading “Smatterings of the Philosopher’s Stone – Chapter 2, part 2: A Critical Misunderstanding”
Smatterings of the Philosopher’s Stone – Chapter 2, part 1: On Moderation
It goes without saying that we live in an age of extremes; chiefly because it goes with a lot of saying. As a matter of fact, we live in an age of moderation, too, and, it may be, of more moderation than extremes. Of course there are those who would abolish private property, whom weContinue reading “Smatterings of the Philosopher’s Stone – Chapter 2, part 1: On Moderation”
Smatterings of the Philosopher’s Stone – Chapter 1, part 7 (conclusion)
That is the first attractive quality of his science. The second quality, I think, is one we talk about a lot and practice little. He is astonished by the world, as we complacently think we ought to be. He is so generally and generously astonished that he suspects some mystery in it; and he willContinue reading “Smatterings of the Philosopher’s Stone – Chapter 1, part 7 (conclusion)”
Smatterings of the Philosopher’s Stone – Chapter 1, part 6
So Browne’s manner of speaking is medieval. His worldview is medieval. He is not a physicist like Newton: his manner of thinking is medieval. He knows much that most medieval scholars did not know, and a little that no medieval scholars knew, but that is hardly a measure of enlightenment. If to be scientific isContinue reading “Smatterings of the Philosopher’s Stone – Chapter 1, part 6”
Smatterings of the Philosopher’s Stone – Chapter 1, part 5
The two revolutions contaminated each other in both directions. Thirty years after the publication of Copernicus’ work, the revolution on earth spread to the heavens, and strange beasts and birds were discovered in the sky – the mysterious nova stella, the ‘new star’ first recorded by Tycho Brahe; the comet, or ‘Long-haired Star’ of Halley,Continue reading “Smatterings of the Philosopher’s Stone – Chapter 1, part 5”
Smatterings of the Philosopher’s Stone – Chapter 1, part 4
The revolution in scientific theory was deep, though perhaps narrow as a result. It begins with Copernicus, and ends, if it has ended, with Newton. In a broad sense, it did not discover new entities, but rather rediscovered old entities. It began with the theory that the earth orbits the sun and is in sympathyContinue reading “Smatterings of the Philosopher’s Stone – Chapter 1, part 4”
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