Sir Thomas Browne on America

Sir Thomas Browne on America

In seventeenth century England there was a great interest in reports from America. Each and every one of Sir Thomas Browne of Norwich's major writings makes significant mention of the newly-colonised continent. As a keen geographer, botanist and zoologist Browne wrote on America in his encyclopedia Pseudodoxia Epidemica. He also employed the proper-place name America as a symbol of the new, the unknown and the exotic.

Browne deep study of nature led him to raise the query in his first book Religio Medici (1643) the zoological puzzle-

How America abounded with beasts of prey, and noxious Animals, yet contained not in it that necessary creature, a Horse, is very strange

but oft-times fain to wander in the America and untravelled parts of truth.

... of the Geography of Paracelsus, who according to the Cardinal points of the World, divideth the body of man; and therefore working upon humane ordure, and by long preparation rendring it odiferous, he terms it Zibeta Occidentalis, Western Civet; making the face the East, but the posteriours the America or Western part of his Microcosm.

Also in Pseudodoxia Browne debates upon the folk-lore belief that it is good for one's health to be drunk once a month, ever the moralist he concluded-

But as for dementation, sopition of reason, and the diviner particle from drinke, though American religion approve, and Pagan piety of old hath practised it, even at their sacrifices; Christian morality and the Doctrine of Christ will not allow.

The dedicatory epistle of the Discourse The Garden of Cyrus (1658) humourously makes light of the great volume of printed information available upon the botany of America thus-

(you) who know that three full Folio's are yet too little, and how New Herballs fly from America upon us, from persevering enquirers.

The Huntsmen are up in America, and they are already past their first sleep in Persia.

be sure you make yourself master of Dr Harvey's piece De Circul. Sang; which discovery I prefer to that of Columbus, (i.e. that of America).

Browne is credited as the first English author to write upon archaeology. The opening lines of his Discourse, Hydriotaphia, Urn Burial compares the 'discovery' of America to that of an archaeological find.

That great antiquity America lay buried for a thousand years ; and a large part of the earth is still in the Urn unto us.

When Africa shall no longer sell out its Blacks to be Slaves and drudges to the American Tracts.

Browne 'predicted' that sometime in the distant future America would protect its wealth and be a land pursuing happiness, employing the highly-original phrase, American Pleasure.

When America shall cease to send out its treasure but employ it instead in American Pleasure.

adding the explanatory note-

That is when America shall be better civilized, new policied and divided between great Princes, it may come to pass that they will no longer suffer their Treasure of Gold and Silver to be sent out to maintain the Luxury of Europe and other parts: but rather employ it to their own advantages, in great Exploits and Undertakings, magnificent Structure, Wars, or Expeditions of their own.

When the New World shall the old invade nor count them their Lords but their Fellows in Trade.

adding the explanatory note-

That is, When America shall be so well peopled, civilized and divided into Kingdoms, they are likely to have so little regard of their Originals, as to acknowledge no subjection unto them: they may also have a distinct commerce between themselves, or but independentlt with those of Europe, and may hostilely and pyratically assault them, even as the Greek and Roman Colonies after a long time dealt with their Original Countries.