introduction to Mr. WILKIN'S Son, and the use of his Father's books. The portrait of Sir Thomas Browne which forms the vignette to this volume was engraved by the late C. H. Jeens from a painting in the Library of the Royal College of Physicians of London. The name of the artist is unknown, but the donor of the picture is conjectured to be Dr. Edward Browne, son of Sir Thomas Browne, and a well-known London physician, who was President of the College in 1704. Let me end this Preface with two short extracts from Sir T. B.'s writings, one for the consideration of editors and commentators, the other for that of critics and reviewers : "I have seen a grammarian tower and plume himself over a single line in Horace, and show more pride in the construction of one Ode than the author in the composure of the whole book."-Rel. Med., ii. 8, p. 108. "Bring candid eyes unto the perusal of men's works, and let not zoilism or detraction blast wellintended labours."-Chr. Mor., ii. 2, p. 186. HASTINGS, Aug. 2, 1881. W. A. G. APPENDIX No. I. CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE OF DATES CONNECTED WITH SIR THOMAS BROWNE. SIR THOMAS BROWNE'S LIFE. CONTEMPORARY PERSONS AND EVENTS. 1576. Rodolph II., Emperor of Germany. 1603. James I., King of Great Britain. 1604. Ahmed I., Sultan. 1605. April 1, Leo XI., Pope. Born in London, Oct. 19....... 1605, Davenant born. Admitted to a Scholarship at Matriculated at Broadgate) 1608. Milton born. 1609. J. J. Scaliger died;-Suckling born. 1612. Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden. 1616. Shakspeare and Cervantes died. 1617. Mustafa I., Sultan. 1618. Othman II., ditto ;-Cowley born. 1619. Ferdinand II., Emperor of Germany. 1621. Gregory XV., Pope. 1622. Mustafa I. restored;-Molière born. Hall, (afterwards Pembroke 1623. Urban VIII., Pope ;-Pascal born. College,) Oxford ..... 1623. Murad IV.. Sultan. 1624. Sydenham born. 1625. Charles I., King of Great Britain. The names of contemporary sovereigns are introduced in reference to p. 66, 1. 6. Married Dorothy Mileham Unauthorized edition of Religio Medici ...J 1640. Massinger died. 1641. Sir John Suckling died. 1642. (Galileo died;-Newton born;-Civil War began in England. First authorized edition of do. 1643. Louis XIV., King of France. 1644. Chillingworth died. Hydriotaphia and Garden of 1655. Archbishop Usher died. Cyrus published ................. 1658. Harvey died. 1660. Restoration of Charles II. 1662. Pascal died;-Royal Society instituted. 1664. Elected Hon. Fellow of College) Knighted by Charles II., Great Plague in London;-Sir Kenelm 1666. Great Fire of London. Died at Norwich, Oct. 19, 1682. aged 77 His widow died APPENDIX No. II. NOTE ON THE DISCOVERY OF THE REMAINS OF SIR THOMAS BROWNE IN 1840. By ROBERT FITCH,' ESQ., F.G.S. [Extracted from the Proceedings of the Archæological Institute, 1847.] "In August, 1840, some workmen, who were employed in digging a vault in the chancel of the church of St. Peter's Mancroft, Norwich, accidentally broke, with a blow of the pick-axe, the lid of a coffin, which proved to be that of [Sir Thomas Browne,] whose residence within its walls conferred honour on Norwich in olden times. This circumstance afforded me an opportunity of inspecting the remains: the bones of the skeleton were found to be in good preservation, particularly those of the skull; the forehead was remarkably low and depressed, the head unusually long, the back part exhibiting an uncommon appearance of depth and capaciousness; the brain was considerable in quantity, quite brown and unctuous; the hair profuse and perfect, of a fine auburn colour, similar to that in the portrait presented to the parish by Dr. Howman, and exhibited at the meeting of the Institute in 1847, and which is carefully preserved in I [Mr. Fitch's name was by mistake printed Firth in some of the reviews at the time of the discovery, and the error has been perpetuated almost ever since.] the vestry of St. Peter's Mancroft. The coffin-plate, which was also broken, was of brass, in the form of a shield, and it bore the following quaint inscription : 'Amplissimus Vir Dus Thomas Browne Miles, Medicinæ Dr Annos Natus 77 Denatus 19 Die "I succeeded in taking a few impressions from the plate, and have presented one, with a counter-impression, to the Institute, to be deposited amongst the collections of the Society. "There was another singular circumstance connected with the discovery; the lead of which the coffin was made was completely decomposed and changed to a carbonate, crumbling at the touch.” * * * * [Spagyria is one of those Paracelsian terms of which Sir T. B. was rather fond, meaning ars quæ purum ab impuro segregare docet, ut, rejectis fæcibus, virtus remanens operetur.' (Castelli Lex. Med.) Used here as synonymous with Alchemy.] 2 [One of these impressions I have seen, and have thus been enabled to correct two minute errors in Mr. Fitch's copy of the inscription.] |