Religio Medici and Hydriotaphia-Thomas Browne

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 counterfeitly imprinted complaints may seem ridiculous in private persons and men of my condition may be as incapable of affronts as hopeless of their reparations and truly had not the duty i owe unto the importunity of friends and the allegiance i must ever acknowledge unto truth prevailed with me the inactivity of my disposition might have made these sufferings continual and time that brings other things to light should have satisfied me in the remedy of its oblivion But because things evidently false are not only printed, but many things of truth most falsely set forth, in this latter I could not but think myself engaged.

For though we have no power to redress the former, yet in the other reparation being within ourselves, I have at present represented unto the world a full and intended copy of that piece, which was most imperfectly and surreptitiously published before.

this i confess about seven years past with some others of affinity thereto for my private exercise and satisfaction i had at leasurable hours composed which being communicated unto one it became common unto many and was by transcription successively corrupted until it arrived in a most depraved copy at the press he that shall peruse that work, and shall take notice of sundry particulars and personal expressions therein, will easily discern the intention was not public, and being a private exercise directed to myself, what is delivered therein was rather a memorial unto me, than an example or rule unto any other.

And therefore, if there be any singularity therein correspondent unto the private conceptions of any man, it doth not advantage them, or if instantaneous thereunto, it no way overthrows them, it was penned in such a place and with such disadvantage that i protest from the first setting of pen unto paper i had not the assistance of any good book whereby to promote my invention or relieve my memory and therefore there might be many real lapses therein which others might take notice of and more that i suspected myself it was set down many years past and was the sense of my conceptions at that time not an immutable law unto my advancing judgment at all times and therefore there might be many things therein plausible unto my past apprehension which are not agreeable unto my present self there are many things delivered rhetorically many expressions therein merely topical and as they best illustrate my intention and therefore also there are many things to be taken in a soft and flexible sense and not to be called unto the rigid test of reason lastly all that is contained therein is in submission unto maturer discernments and as i have declared shall no further father them than the best and learned judgments shall authorize them under favour of which considerations i have made its secrecy public and committed the truth thereof to every ingenuous reader thomas browne end of dedication CHAPTER I.

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 not that i merely owe this title to the font my education or the clime wherein i was born as being bred up either to confirm those principles my parents instilled into my understanding or by a general consent proceed in the religion of my country but having in my riper years and confirmed judgment seen and examined all i found myself obliged by the principles of grace and the law of mine own reason to embrace no other name but this neither doth herein my zeal so far make me forget the general charity i owe unto humanity as rather to hate than pity turks infidels and what is worse jews rather contenting myself to enjoy that happy style than maligning those who refuse so glorious a title section two but because the name of a christian is become too general to express our faith there being a geography of religion as well as lands and every clime distinguished not only by their laws and limits but circumscribed by their doctrines and rules of faith to be particular i am of that reformed new cast religion wherein i dislike nothing but the name of the same belief our saviour taught the apostles disseminated the fathers authorised and the martyrs confirmed but by the sinister ends of princes the ambition and avarice of prelates and the fatal corruption of times so decayed impaired and fallen from its native beauty that it required the careful and charitable hands of these times to restore it to its primitive integrity Now, the accidental occasion whereupon, the slender means whereby, the low and abject condition of the person by whom so good a work was set on foot, which in our adversaries beget contempt and scorn, fills me with wonder, and is the very same objection the insolent pagans first cast at Christ and his disciples.

Section 3 yet have i not so shaken hands with those desperate resolutions who had rather venture at large their decayed bottom than bring her in to be new trimmed in the dock who had rather promiscuously retain all than abridge any and obstinately be what they are than what they have been as to stand in diameter and swords point with them we have reformed from them not against them for omitting those improperations and terms of scurrility betwixt us which only difference our affections and not our cause there is between us one common name and appellation one faith and necessary body of principles common to us both and therefore i am not scrupulous to converse and live with them to enter their churches in defect of ours and either pray with them or for them i could never perceive any rational consequences from those many texts which prohibit the children of israel to pollute themselves with the temples of the heathens we being all christians and not divided by such detested impieties as might profane our prayers or the place wherein we make them or that a resolved conscience may not adore her creator anywhere especially in places devoted to his service If their devotions offend him, mine may please him.

If theirs profane it, mine may hallow it.

Holy water and crucifix, dangerous to the common people, deceive not my judgment, nor abuse my devotion at all.

I am, I confess, naturally inclined to that which misguided zeal terms superstition.

My common conversation, I do acknowledge austere.

my behaviour full of rigour, sometimes not without morosity.

Yet, at my devotion, I love to use the civility of my knee, my hat and hand, with all those outward and sensible motions, which may express or promote my invisible devotion.

I should violate my own arm, rather than a church, nor willingly deface the name of saint or martyr.

at the sight of a cross or crucifix i can dispense with my hat but scarce with the thought or memory of my saviour i cannot laugh at but rather pity the fruitless journeys of pilgrims or contemn the miserable condition of friars for though misplaced in circumstances there is something in it of devotion

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 counterfeitly imprinted complaints may seem ridiculous in private persons and men of my condition may be as incapable of affronts as hopeless of their reparations and truly had not the duty i owe unto the importunity of friends and the allegiance i must ever acknowledge unto truth prevailed with me the inactivity of my disposition might have made these sufferings continual and time that brings other things to light should have satisfied me in the remedy of its oblivion But because things evidently false are not only printed, but many things of truth most falsely set forth, in this latter I could not but think myself engaged.

For though we have no power to redress the former, yet in the other reparation being within ourselves, I have at present represented unto the world a full and intended copy of that piece, which was most imperfectly and surreptitiously published before.

this i confess about seven years past with some others of affinity thereto for my private exercise and satisfaction i had at leasurable hours composed which being communicated unto one it became common unto many and was by transcription successively corrupted until it arrived in a most depraved copy at the press he that shall peruse that work, and shall take notice of sundry particulars and personal expressions therein, will easily discern the intention was not public, and being a private exercise directed to myself, what is delivered therein was rather a memorial unto me, than an example or rule unto any other.

And therefore, if there be any singularity therein correspondent unto the private conceptions of any man, it doth not advantage them, or if instantaneous thereunto, it no way overthrows them, it was penned in such a place and with such disadvantage that i protest from the first setting of pen unto paper i had not the assistance of any good book whereby to promote my invention or relieve my memory and therefore there might be many real lapses therein which others might take notice of and more that i suspected myself it was set down many years past and was the sense of my conceptions at that time not an immutable law unto my advancing judgment at all times and therefore there might be many things therein plausible unto my past apprehension which are not agreeable unto my present self there are many things delivered rhetorically many expressions therein merely topical and as they best illustrate my intention and therefore also there are many things to be taken in a soft and flexible sense and not to be called unto the rigid test of reason lastly all that is contained therein is in submission unto maturer discernments and as i have declared shall no further father them than the best and learned judgments shall authorize them under favour of which considerations i have made its secrecy public and committed the truth thereof to every ingenuous reader thomas browne end of dedication CHAPTER I.

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 not that i merely owe this title to the font my education or the clime wherein i was born as being bred up either to confirm those principles my parents instilled into my understanding or by a general consent proceed in the religion of my country but having in my riper years and confirmed judgment seen and examined all i found myself obliged by the principles of grace and the law of mine own reason to embrace no other name but this neither doth herein my zeal so far make me forget the general charity i owe unto humanity as rather to hate than pity turks infidels and what is worse jews rather contenting myself to enjoy that happy style than maligning those who refuse so glorious a title section two but because the name of a christian is become too general to express our faith there being a geography of religion as well as lands and every clime distinguished not only by their laws and limits but circumscribed by their doctrines and rules of faith to be particular i am of that reformed new cast religion wherein i dislike nothing but the name of the same belief our saviour taught the apostles disseminated the fathers authorised and the martyrs confirmed but by the sinister ends of princes the ambition and avarice of prelates and the fatal corruption of times so decayed impaired and fallen from its native beauty that it required the careful and charitable hands of these times to restore it to its primitive integrity Now, the accidental occasion whereupon, the slender means whereby, the low and abject condition of the person by whom so good a work was set on foot, which in our adversaries beget contempt and scorn, fills me with wonder, and is the very same objection the insolent pagans first cast at Christ and his disciples.

Section 3 yet have i not so shaken hands with those desperate resolutions who had rather venture at large their decayed bottom than bring her in to be new trimmed in the dock who had rather promiscuously retain all than abridge any and obstinately be what they are than what they have been as to stand in diameter and swords point with them we have reformed from them not against them for omitting those improperations and terms of scurrility betwixt us which only difference our affections and not our cause there is between us one common name and appellation one faith and necessary body of principles common to us both and therefore i am not scrupulous to converse and live with them to enter their churches in defect of ours and either pray with them or for them i could never perceive any rational consequences from those many texts which prohibit the children of israel to pollute themselves with the temples of the heathens we being all christians and not divided by such detested impieties as might profane our prayers or the place wherein we make them or that a resolved conscience may not adore her creator anywhere especially in places devoted to his service If their devotions offend him, mine may please him.

If theirs profane it, mine may hallow it.

Holy water and crucifix, dangerous to the common people, deceive not my judgment, nor abuse my devotion at all.

I am, I confess, naturally inclined to that which misguided zeal terms superstition.

My common conversation, I do acknowledge austere.

my behaviour full of rigour, sometimes not without morosity.

Yet, at my devotion, I love to use the civility of my knee, my hat and hand, with all those outward and sensible motions, which may express or promote my invisible devotion.

I should violate my own arm, rather than a church, nor willingly deface the name of saint or martyr.

at the sight of a cross or crucifix i can dispense with my hat but scarce with the thought or memory of my saviour i cannot laugh at but rather pity the fruitless journeys of pilgrims or contemn the miserable condition of friars for though misplaced in circumstances there is something in it of devotion