He was not, however, a natural philosopher, but a literary writer and preacher, who rose to the deanship of westminster and later the bishopric of rochester. The first president of the royal society sciencedirect. This book is about a single image the frontispiece to thomas sprat s history of the royal society of london 1667. Frontispiece of thomas sprats history of the royal society. Frontispiece of thomas sprat s history of the royal society. It discussed the acquisition of knowledge by the ancient. The royal society, frontispiece to thomas sprat, the history of the royal society of london. The arms of the royal society printed on verso of permission leaf. Dec 01, 2016 this book is about a single image the frontispiece to thomas sprat s history of the royal society of london 1667. Importantly, this includes a frontispiece only present in some copies. Dec 29, 2016 this book is about a single image the frontispiece to thomas sprat s history of the royal society of london 1667. John evelyn scientist of the day linda hall library. Hunter reveals that the book it was originally for was an alternative. This book is devoted to a renowned image of 17thcentury science.
Thomas sprat scientist of the day linda hall library. Frontispiece to a history of the royal society, showing the crowning of king charles ii. Among the books to reach the whipple from the collection of michael clark is a. This key piece of iconography for the early royal society includes central portraits of the first president, william, 2nd viscount brouncker 16201684 and francis bacon, 1st viscount st alban 15611626, with a bust of the societys first patron, king charles ii. Designed by john evelyn, and etched by wenceslaus hollar, it is arguably the bestknown representation of seventeenthcentury english. Thomas sprat sprat, thomas, 163517 the online books. The frontispiece to thomas sprats history of the royal society 1667 1st edition. Fame crowns a bust of charles ii next to the figures of william brouncker and francis bacon. Frontispiece from thomas sprats the history of the royal society of london 1667. Other articles where history of the royal society of london is discussed. Thomas sprat sprat, thomas, 163517 a wikipedia article about this author is available sprat, thomas, 163517. This image depicts many of the important figures and objects of the early royal society. Notes to the royal society, a poem by abraham cowley.
The immediate occasion of stubbes quarrel with the royal society was given in i667. May 20, 2020 frontispiece to thomas sprat, the history of the royalsociety of london, engraving by wenceslaus hollar after drawing by john evelyn, 1667 linda hall library thomas sprat, an english cleric and writer, died may 20, 17, at about age 78. In his book about the royal society, thomas sprat who was himself a member expresses his concern with what he considers to 1see p. In 1663 the royal society began considering the publication of a history of the. This book is devoted to a renowned image of 17thcentury science, namely the frontispiece to thomas sprats book on the newly formed royal society. Jun, 2018 michael hunters latest book is part of this trend, devoted entirely to an analysis of the frontispiece of thomas sprats history of the royal society 1667. Frontispiece to the history of the royal society of london, for the improving of natural knowledge, by thomas sprat printed by t. Sprat was a fellow at wadham college, oxford, when the royal society of london was founded in 1660 and received its royal charter in 1662. As i showed many years ago, though published in sprat s book, it was initially intended for a different book written by the somerset virtuoso, john beale. The history of the royalsociety of london, for the improving of natural knowledge.
Did it also mark the beginning of a new period in the history of rhetoric in england. Influenced by bacon, who appears in the frontispiece, sprat focused on the utilitarian products of science, and nearly all the papers he. Founded in 1660, this was the first european learned society devoted to science. Spratts history of the royalsociety kings collections. Wenceslaus hollars print celebrating charles ii as founder of the royal society, based on a design by john evelyn, has been much reproduced but little studied. European sprat photos and premium high res pictures getty. After john evelyn british, 16201706 wotton, surrey author. The book was a manifesto of the societys aims and methods. The history of the royal society of london, for the improving of. Joseph glanvill, rector of the abbey church at bath, fellow of the royal society, and long an admirer of the new.
Allestry,1667 guys hospital historical collection q41. In 1981, michael hunter showed that it was originally intended, not for sprat s history, but for an apologetic work by john beale that proved abortive. This is not even a book about a single book, but a book about a. The image as a whole represents the early royal society s aims and intentions regarding the pursuit of.
Frontispeice to thomas sprat s a history of the royal society 1667. It was primarily aimed at the king in the unrealised hope that he would fund their future activities. Frontispiece to thomas sprat, the history of the royalsociety of london, engraving by wenceslaus hollar after drawing by john evelyn, 1667 linda hall library thomas sprat, an english cleric and writer, died may 20, 17, at about age 78. This book is about a single image the frontispiece to thomas sprats history of the royal society of london 1667. Sprat skims over the civil war 16421651, although this period was clearly much on his mind in writing the book, then happily reports. Biomedicine and its cultural authority the new atlantis.
For example, one of our copies of thomas sprat s history of the royal society 1667 contains an improved version of the famous allegorical frontispiece a previous owner of the book copied a detail of the foot of the society s first president, viscount brouncker. Sprat s history of the royal society appeared in 1667, only five years after the fledgling society was granted its royal charter and appointed its first president. Frontispiece to the history of the royalsociety of london, for the improving of natural knowledge, by thomas sprat printed by t. The frontispiece to thomas sprat s history of the royal society 1667 the seventeenth century. Wenceslaus hollar bohemian, prague 16071677 london artist. Posts of religion radical and supernatural in early modern europe. William brouncker, 2nd viscount brouncker, the president of the society, is on the left. The history of the royal society elaborates the scientific purposes of the academy and outlines some of the strictures of scientific writing that set the modern.
The frontispiece was designed by john evelyn and etched by wenceslaus hollar. This portrait the society history was written by the future bishop of rochester, thomas sprat under the guidance of john wilkins. In this case, however, the subject is the extremely famous frontispiece to thomas sprat s history of the royal society london, 1667, published just a few years after the society s foundation. A1 engraved frontispiece by hollar, after a design by john evelyn perhaps inserted only in part of the edition. Henry more, containing a reply to the untruthes he hath publishd, and a censure of the cabbalopythagorical philosophy, by him. This engraved print is the frontispiece to thomas sprat s history of the royal society 1667. Frontispiece from thomas sprat s the history of the royal society of london etcher. They commissioned thomas sprat, churchman and protege of society fellow john wilkins, to document the history and intentions of the society. As an image that has accrued enormous historiographic importance, becoming the image of restoration. To describe a book that discusses just one image as focused would be something of an understatement. European sprat photos and premium high res pictures. Evelyns intimate connexions with the foundation and early fortunes of the royal society, and his friendship with thomas sprat, suggest that he may have had some hand in the compilation of this book.
Sprat, thomas 1635 17, author of the history of the royal society of london, for the improving of natural knowledge 1667, an important document for those interested in baconianism, the nature and program of the early royal society, and the development of english prose style. Jan 24, 2018 the authors certainly shed light on the early history of the royal society and have much to say about john evelyn, who was a key player in the production of this famous frontispiece, which may be found in some, but not all, copies of sprat s 1667 history of the royal society. On the surface, it may appear extravagant or excessively antiquarian to devote a book, albeit a slender tome of 150 pages, to one image. Frontispiece to thomas sprats the history of the royal. The history of the royal society of london, for the improving of natural knowledge london. The history of the royal society of london was published in 1667. It contains, however, no visible sign except the engraved frontispiece made after his. He was not, however, a natural philosopher, but a literary writer and preacher, who rose to the deanship of westminster and later the. Dec 01, 2003 frontispiece of thomas sprat s history of the royal society, engraved by wenceslaus hellar in 1667.
Frontispiece to thomas sprats the history of the royal society. The frontispiece to thomas sprats history of the royal. The history of the royalsociety of london, for the improving of natural. R is for the royal society and the history of thomas sprat whipple. Mar 22, 2012 the frontispiece to thomas sprat s history of the royal society 1667. This key piece of iconography for the early royal society includes central portraits of the first president, william, 2nd viscount brouncker 16201684 and francis bacon, 1st viscount st alban 15611626, with a bust of the society. History of the royal society thomas sprat snippet view 1958. Frontispiece from thomas sprats the history of the royal. It may seem strange to write the history of an organization that was only seven years old, although sprat s work is written in the spirit of the latin historia, or an account. Thomas sprat, the history of the royal society 1667 iii. The history of the royal society of london, for the improving. Engraving by wenceslaus hollar of 1667, after evelyn. The history of the royal society of london, for the.
Designed by john evelyn, and etched by wenceslaus hollar, it is arguably the bestknown representation of seventeenthcentury english science. Bacon, shown with the great seal bag, indicates towards the title page of the book. Apr 30, 2016 this book is about a single image the frontispiece to thomas sprats history of the royalsociety of london 1667. It was first published in 1667, with a magnificent frontispiece designed by john.
Thomas sprat 163517 the history of the royal society of. Description frontispiece to the history of the royalsociety of london, for the improving of natural knowledge, by thomas sprat printed by t. The frontispiece to thomas sprats history of the royal society, 1667. Pdf a cultural history of memory in the early modern age. The royal society, frontispiece to thomas sprat, the.
The royal society, frontispiece to thomas sprat, the history. The frontispiece to thomas sprat s history of the royal society 1667 routledge, 2017, where whatever further questions you might have are sure to be answered. Book description this book is about a single image the frontispiece to thomas sprats history of the royalsociety of london 1667. The book was also intended as an apologia for the new experimental science of the royal society, and a defence against those critics who said that nature and the human senses were too imperfect to aspire to true. The establishment of the royal society in 1660 thus signals a new beginning, both of knowledge and of the kingdom. Frontispiece to the history of the royal society of london by thomas sprat. History of the royal society of london work by sprat. Frontispeice to thomas sprats a history of the royal society 1667. Henry stubbe in defense of the history of the royal society whereunto is added a preface against ecebolius glanville, and an answer to the letter of dr. Thomas sprat sprat, thomas, 163517 the online books page. First edition of the first history of the royal society. Giving an account of this complex image requires a grasp of a range.
This book is about a single image the frontispiece to thomas sprats history of the royalsociety of london 1667. The frontispiece to thomas sprats history of the royal society 1667. The royal society, frontispiece to thomas sprat, the history of the. Sprats work was not an accurate history of the royal societys founding. Without the engraved frontispiece and without the double of at.
The picture includes king charles ii and francis bacon, with scientific instruments in the background. Wenceslaus hollar frontispiece from thomas sprats the history. Engraved arms of the royal society on the verso of the license leaf, etched frontispiece by wenceslas hollar 160767 after john evelyn 162076 or possibly mary evelyn, 2 engraved folding plates. Seated on the left is william brouncker, a mathematician and the first president of the royal society. In the foreground, a bust of charles ii is crowned by fame, with francis bacon and. Without the engraved frontispiece and without the double of at p. For the royal society had its beginning in the wonderful pacifick year of 1660, the year of the restoration when charles ii returned to the english throne. Sprat s history, which was a polemic in favour of the experimental method of the royal society, even saw the practical technological advocacy of the royal society as having biblical endorsement as in genesis 4. Inscriptions by phineas fowke on flyleaf of thomas sprat s the history of the royalsociety of london, for the improving of human knowledge. To placate any critics, the society decided to publish an apologia of sorts. Last week, i ventured over to the royal society to see michael. Much can be learned about the early image of the society by reading thomas sprat s 163517 1667 history of the royal society. Engraving of charles ii and the royal society, frontispiece. The oil portrait of evelyn first image, painted by godfrey.
The history of the royal society of london, for the improving of natural knowledge. Frontispiece to the history of the royalsociety of. The society history was written by the future bishop of rochester, thomas sprat under the guidance of john wilkins. Wenceslaus hollar, john evelyn 1667 the metropolitan museum of art. Oct 31, 2017 earlier this year, michael hunter published an entire book about this engraving, the image of restoration science. The frontispiece to sprats history of the royal society depicts the president of the royal society and francis bacon sitting on either side of a bust of charles ii. Frontispiece to thomas sprats the history of the royal society frontispiece to the history of the royalsociety of london, for the improving of natural knowledge, by thomas sprat printed by t. Engraved arms of the royal society on the verso of the license leaf. The history of the royalsociety of london for the improving. In the official sprat history, the royal society is said to grow out of quiet meetings at wadham college, oxford, from about 1648, which ran until 1659 when the group moved to london and founded the royal society 1660. In his history of the royal society of london 1667, a propagandist defense rather than a factual account of the new scientific society, he criticizes the inkhorn terms learned jargon and sonorous stylistic swellings of restoration prose. The classical bust in the middle is of king charles ii, being wreathed by an allegorical figure of. A history of the royal society, by thomas sprat frontispiece. Apr 04, 2018 the frontispiece to thomas sprats history of the royal society, 1667.
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