Speculum mundi, or, A glasse representing the face of the world : shewing both that it did begin, and must also end : the manner how, and time when, being largely examined : whereunto is joyned an Hexameron, or a serious discourse of the causes, continuance, and qualities of things in nature : occasioned as matter pertinent to the work done in the six dayes of the worlds creation.
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(Index)
(Chapter 6 - "Wherein is contained a survey of the third dayes work; together with such things as are pertinent to it"; pages 188-207)
(Chapter 6 cont.; pages 208-227.)
(Chapter 6 cont.; pages 228-250.)
(Chapter 6 cont.: pages 251-271.)
Date
1635
Authors
Swan, John, d. 1671.
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The Speculum mundi : or, A glasse representing the face of the world : shewing both that it did begin, and must also end : the whole of which may abe fitly called an hexameron or discourse of the clauses, continuance, and qualities of things in nature, occasioned as matter pertinent to the work done in the six dayes of the world's creation by English doctor and clergyman John Swan is an odd work of natural history within the framework of theology, attempting an encyclopaedic representation of scientific knowledge of the 17th century arranged according to the six days of the Creation. As such it embodies contemporary conflicts between science and scripture, superstition and belief: Swan criticises the ignorance that characterised spontaneously combusted swamp gases as walking spirits and rejects tales of many fantastic creatures but accepts the existence of fish with feet and mermaids among the 'strange fish' of the waters. The work, first published in 1635, went through four editions to 1670 (in some of which revisions Swan changed his mind on 'certain not insignificant matters') and was reprinted in 1698, but lost favour in the more exacting scientific critical climate of the eighteenth century.
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Scanned from the original held in Rare Books & Special Collections, Barr Smith Library.
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Published Version
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Strong Room 501 S97