Pseudodoxia Epidemica is dense, strange and delightful. Probably my favorite chapter is on the Amphisbaena [1] (a serpent with a head on both ends), which Browne dismisses as basically being too weird to exist. Then he can't help but throw a jab at philosophers:
"And therefore this duplicity was ill contrived to place one head at both extreams, and had been more tolerable to have setled three or four at one. And therefore also Poets have been more reasonable then Philosophers, and Geryon or Cerberus less monstrous than Amphisbæna."
How funny is that -- the idea of the Amphisbaena is so wild, how more plausible is having three or four heads at a single end? (Geyron being a multi-headed giant, and Cerberus a multi-headed dog.)
Further, Browne does mention the existence of multi-headed serpents (snakes), but those too are anomalies:
"Which double formations do often happen unto multiparous generations, more especially that of Serpents; whose productions being numerous, and their Eggs in chains or links together (which sometime conjoyn and inoculate[13] into each other) they may unite into various shapes and come out in mixed formations. But these are monstrous productions, beside the intention of Nature, and the statutes of generation, neither begotten of like parents, nor begetting the like again, but irregularly produced, do stand as Anomalies in the general Book of Nature. Which being shifts and forced pieces, rather then genuine and proper effects, they afford us no illation; nor is it reasonable to conclude, from a monstrosity unto a species, or from accidental effects, unto the regular works of Nature."
Really wonderful writing; I couldn't help but share.
Love this!
"In general, we encourage contributions which highlight material at the more unorthodox end of the cultural spectrum – curiosities, obscure theories, strange inventions, and so on. If on a well-known figure then we tend to favour an unusual angle or a focus on lesser known works. As well as pieces which focus on particular works, we also welcome articles with a broader historical focus, though they should be closely aligned with interesting material to which we can link."
"And therefore this duplicity was ill contrived to place one head at both extreams, and had been more tolerable to have setled three or four at one. And therefore also Poets have been more reasonable then Philosophers, and Geryon or Cerberus less monstrous than Amphisbæna."
How funny is that -- the idea of the Amphisbaena is so wild, how more plausible is having three or four heads at a single end? (Geyron being a multi-headed giant, and Cerberus a multi-headed dog.)
Further, Browne does mention the existence of multi-headed serpents (snakes), but those too are anomalies:
"Which double formations do often happen unto multiparous generations, more especially that of Serpents; whose productions being numerous, and their Eggs in chains or links together (which sometime conjoyn and inoculate[13] into each other) they may unite into various shapes and come out in mixed formations. But these are monstrous productions, beside the intention of Nature, and the statutes of generation, neither begotten of like parents, nor begetting the like again, but irregularly produced, do stand as Anomalies in the general Book of Nature. Which being shifts and forced pieces, rather then genuine and proper effects, they afford us no illation; nor is it reasonable to conclude, from a monstrosity unto a species, or from accidental effects, unto the regular works of Nature."
Really wonderful writing; I couldn't help but share.
[1] Of the Amphisbaena: http://penelope.uchicago.edu/pseudodoxia/pseudo315.html