By Emma Laws, Cathedral Librarian
Our collaboration with English Literature students at Exeter University continued this year and we are delighted to present more of the students’ research into the Rise of Science in the 17th century.
Oliver writes about Bishop John Wilkins’s dreams of ‘journeying to the Moone’ in a flying chariot and of discovering a lunar civilisation there. Wilkins’ book, The Discovery of a World in the Moone appeared in 1638 – a mixture of science and science fiction. Such dreams were viewed as ridiculous at the time but, as Wilkins points out, ‘other truths have been formerly accounted as ridiculous’, including Christopher Columbus’ voyages across the Atlantic to the Americas. In 1969, Wilkins was proved right, that one day there would be a means of travelling to the Moon, ‘and how happy shall they be, that are first successful in this attempt’.
Zoe’s blog focuses on John Archer’s Every Man His Own Doctor (1673) – a bestselling diet and lifestyle book with a message that medicine is not an elitist body of knowledge and that we should all take responsibility for our health and wellbeing. The author makes suggestions for the sorts of things we might consider today – diet, sleep and exercise – and includes advice on how to combat common diseases, such as gout, scurvy and consumption.
Both books were published in small, portable editions for a wide audience and are now part of the Cathedral Library’s medical collection.
You can read the students’ blogs in full here >