Volume 1

The works of Sir Thomas Browne / edited by Charles Sayle.

  • Browne, Thomas, Sir, 1605-1682.
Date:
1927
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The works of Sir Thomas Browne / edited by Charles Sayle. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    by whom, the work of Reformation of Religion was set on PART I. foot. Yet I have not so shaken hands with those desperate Resolutions, Sect. 3. {Resolvers it should he, without doubt) who had rather venture at Pas- 8- large their decayed Bottom, than bring her in to be new trimmd in the Dock; who had rather promiscuously retain all, than abridge any; and obstinately be what they are, than what they have been; as to stand in a diameter and at swords point with them: we have reformed from them, not against them, etc.] These words by Mr. Merryweather are thus rendred, sc. Nec tamen in vecordem ilium pertinacium hominum gregem memet adjungo, qui labefacta- tum navigium maluntfortunes committere quam in navale de integro ■resarciendum deducere, qui malunt omnia promiscue retinere quam quicquam inde diminuere, et pertinaciter esse qui sunt quam qui olim fuerunt, ita ut iisdem ex diametro repugnent: ab illis, non contra illos, reformationem instituimus, etc. And the Latine Annotator sits down very well satisfied with it, and hath be¬ stowed some notes upon it; but under the favour both of him and the Translator, this Translation is so far different from the sense of the Author, that it hath no sense in it; or if there be any construction of sense in it, it is quite besides the Author’s meaning ; which will appear if we consider the context: by that we shall find that the Author in giving an account of his Religion, tells us first, that he is a Christian, and farther, that he is of the reform’d Religion ; but yet he saith, in this place, he is not so rigid a Protestant, nor at defiance with Papists so far, but that in many things he can comply with them, (the particulars he afterwards mentions in this Section) for, saith he, we have reform’d from them, not against them, that is, as the Archbishop of Canterbury against the Jesuit discourseth well. We have made no new Religion nor Schism from the old ; but in calling for the old, and desiring that which was novel and crept in might be rejected, and the Church of Rome refusing it, we have reform’d from those upstart novel Doctrines, but against none of the old : and other sense the place cannot bear ; therefore how the Latine Annotator can apply it as though in this place the Author intended to note the Anabaptists, I see not, unless it were in respect of the expression Vecordem pertinacium hominum gregem, which truly is a description well befitting them, though not intended to them in this place : howsoever, I see not any ground from hence to conclude the Author to be any whit inclining to the Bulk of Popery (but have great reason from many passages in this Book to believe the contrary,) as he that prefix’d a Preface to the Parisian Edition of this Book hath unwarrantably done. But for the mistake of the Translator, it is very obvious from whence that arose. I doubt not but it was from mistake of the sense of the English Phrase Shaken hands, which he hath b