Pseudodoxia Epidemica: or, Enquiries into Very Many Received Tenents, And Commonly Presumed Truths

The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature | 2003 | 700+ words | Copyright

Pseudodoxia Epidemica: or, Enquiries into Very Many Received Tenents, And Commonly Presumed Truths often referred to as Vulgar Errors, by Sir T. Browne, first published 1646, revised and augmented 1650, 1658, and 1672.

This is Browne's longest work, in which he examines more than 100 problems in the light of his extensive learning, the verdicts of reasoned argument, and the results of his own experiments and observations. It comprises one general book, treating of the sources and propagation of error—original sin, popular gullibility, logical fallacy, learned credulity and laziness, reverence for antiquity and authority, influential authors, and Satan—and six particular books, three on natural history—mineralogy, botany, zoology, physiology—and three on civil, ecclesiastical, and literary history— iconography, magic and folklore, chronology, historical geography, and biblical, classical, and medieval history.

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MARGARET DRABBLE and JENNY STRINGER. "Pseudodoxia Epidemica: or, Enquiries into Very Many Received Tenents, And Commonly Presumed Truths." The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

MARGARET DRABBLE and JENNY STRINGER. "Pseudodoxia Epidemica: or, Enquiries into Very Many Received Tenents, And Commonly Presumed Truths." The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature. 2003. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O54-PsddxpdmcrnqrsntVryMnyRcv.html

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