SCRIBONIUS, Wilhelm Adolf; WIDDOWES, Daniel, ed.

First edition of the first English translation of Scribonius’ work on natural science. Probably from the library of the botanist Edmund Pitt (1613-88), Alderman of Worcester, who corresponded, among others, with Robert Boyle. Three further books with the same ms autograph, all concerning medicine and natural science, are preserved at the BL.

W.A. Scribonius (fl.1576-1583) was a German philosopher, and the author of several works on natural science, including ‘Rerum naturalium doctrina methodica’ (1583), of which the present is an abridged translation. With this work, Scribonius applied the principles of Ramist logic to natural science, which Ramus himself had never properly attempted, providing an introduction for the use of university students. ‘The overall aim of Petrus Ramus (1515-72) was to provide a reform of logic, or dialectic, in order to make it more suitable than scholastic logic for use in teaching the liberal arts’ (Enc. Ren. Phil., 2545). Widdowes’ translation begins with an introduction to basic concepts in natural science (e.g., substance, accidents, qualities, colours, the zodiac constellations, the planets and their properties, the four elements), as well as short explanations of odd phenomena, such as the ‘false Sun’, ‘imprinted in the cloud by the reflection of his beams’. The major focus of this translation is however on metals, their qualities and medicinal properties (e.g., brass, quicksilver, iron, lead, tin, diamonds, gems, salts, etc.), which made this a very useful work for C17 English alchemists. The early annotator of this copy marked on the margins most of the sections on minerals. Other sections are devoted to plants (e.g., nutmeg, myrrh, palm trees, pineapple, berries, cereals, etc.) and their properties, with short descriptions of their ideal habitats, and to herbs (e.g., saffron, ginger, acorus), weather and precious stones. Another section is devoted to a variety of subjects, from the senses to types of dreams, appetite, conception, humours, and anatomy, animals and insects. A very interesting, clear and concise introduction to natural science for young students.