vii

parts or fruits of the same tree; that misel-
toe is bred upon trees, from seeds which
birds let fall thereon; of the rose of Jericho,
that flowereth every year upon Christmas
Eve; of Glastonbury thorn; that Sferra
Cavallo hath a power to break or loosen iron;
that bays preserve from the mischief of
lightning and thunder; that bitter almonds.
are preservatives against ebriety
Chap. 7. Of some insects and the properties
of several plants. Of the death-watch; the
presages drawn from oak-apple insects; whe-
ther all plants have seeds; whether the sap
of trees runs to the ground in winter; of

PAGE

359 to 375

the effects of camphor; with many others 375 to 384 THE THIRD BOOK; the particular part continued.

Of popular and received tenets concerning

animals

385 to end

Chap. 1. That an elephant hath no joints, &c. 385 to 396
Chap. 2. That the horse hath no gall

396 to 398

Chap. 3. That a pigeon hath no gall
Chap. 4. That a beaver, to escape the hunter,
bites off his testicles or stones

Chap. 5. That a badger hath the legs of one

399 to 403

403 to 407

viii

PAGE

Chap. 17. That hares are both male and female 466 to 473
Chap. 18. That moles are blind
473 to 476

.

Chap. 19. That lampries have many eyes 477 to 478
Chap. 20. That snails have no eyes

Chap. 21. That the chameleon lives only upon

479 to 481

504 to 506

Chap. 24. That all animals of the land are in
their kind in the sea

Chap. 25. Concerning the common course of
our diet, in making choice of some animals
and abstaining from eating others
Chap. 26. Of the spermaceti whale
Chap. 27. Compendiously, of the musical note
of swans before their death; that the flesh of
peacocks corrupteth not; that they are
ashamed of their legs; that storks will only
live in republicks and free states; of the
noise of a bittern by putting the bill in a
reed; that whelps are blind nine days; of
the antipathy between a toad and a spider,
a lion and a cock; that an ear-wig hath no
wings; of worms; that flies make that hum-
ming noise by their mouths or wings; of
the tainct or small red spider; of the glow-
worm; of the providence of pismires in bit-
ing off the ends of corn

.

Chap. 28. That the chicken is made out of the yolk of the egg; that snakes sting; of the tarantula; the lamb of Tartary; the swiftness of tigers; with sundry queries

507 to 514

515 to 517

517 to 532

533 to end.

Religio Medici.

FIFTEENTH EDITION.

WITH COPIOUS NOTES,

PARTLY SELECTED FROM THose of the gERMAN AND Dutch editorS, AND FROM THE "ANNOTATIONS" OF KECK, AND PARTLY ORIGINAL,

EDITOR'S PREFACE

TO THE PRESENT EDITION.

When and where RELIGIO MEDICI was written-Surreptitiously printed in 1642Two impressions of that edition in the same year-Authorized edition of 1643Observations by Sir K. Digby-Ross's Medicus Medicatus-Annotations on the obscure Passages-Supposed author of the Annotations-Subsequent Editions of Religio Medici-Translations into Latin, Dutch, French, German, &c.--Present edition-Imitations and Works with a similar title.

So few particulars have been transmitted to us of the earlier years of Sir Thomas Browne's life, that it is not easy to determine precisely at what period he composed his Religio Medici, or where he resided at the time. Dr. Johnson seems to have supposed that it was written in London ;-but internal evidence exists to disprove this. Dr. Watson, in his History of Halifax,' mentions that "he was said to have fixed. himself, as a physician, in his juvenile years, in the parish of Halifax, and to have written his Religio Medici, in 1630,2 at Shipden-Hall, near Halifax." This date, however, must be incorrect: he did not receive his diploma till 1633, and can scarcely, even in common parlance, be said to have fixed himself in any place as a physician, three years before that event. Besides, the period named is otherwise disposed of in the accounts we have of his life ;-for some time after he took his degree of master of arts (June, 1629), he is said to have resided in Oxfordshire, and thence to have proceeded on his travels, first in Ireland, with his father-in-law Sir Thomas Dutton, and afterwards on the continent, till 1633, when he received his degree of Doctor of physick at Leyden, just before his return. His residence near Halifax, then, must be sup

1 Watson (Rev. John) History and Antiquities of the Parish of Halifax, in Yorkshire, 4to. Lond. 1775, p. 458.

2 Wright says, "About the year 1630, he lived at Shipden Hall, &c." Antiquities of the Town of Halifax, in Yorkshire. Leedes 1738. 12mo. p. 152.