BROWNE, SIR THOMAS (1605-82), English author and physician, was born in London. He was admitted as a scholar of Winchester college in 1616, and matriculated at Broadgates hall (Pembroke college), Oxford, in 1623, where he graduated B.A. in Jan. 1626. He took the further degree of M.A. in 1629, studied medicine, and practised for some time in Oxfordshire. Between 163o and 1633 he left England, travelled in Ireland, France and Italy, and on his way home received the degree of M.D. at the University of Leyden. He returned to London in 1634, and, after a short residence at Shipden hall, near Halifax, settled in practice at Norwich in 1637. In 1642 a copy of Religio Medici, which he describes as "a private exercise directed to myself," was printed from one of his mss. without his knowledge, and reviewed by Sir Kenelm Digby in Observations ... The interest aroused by this edition compelled Browne to put forth a correct version (1643) of the work, in which letters be tween Digby and Browne were included. The book was probably written as early as 1635, for he describes himself as still under 3o. In 1646 he published Pseudodoxia Epidemica; Enquiries into very many commonly received Tenents and commonly presumed Truths (1646), and in 1658 Hydriotaphia, Urne-Buriall; or, a discourse of the sepulchrall urnes lately found in Norfolk. To gether with the Garden of Cyrus, or the quincunciall, lozenge, or net-work plantations of the ancients, artificially, naturally, and mystically considered. With Sundry observations (1658). Several tracts, notably Christian Morals meant as a continuation of Religio Medici, were prepared for publication and appeared post humously. In 1671 he received the honour of knighthood from Charles II. on his visit to Norwich. He began a correspondence with John Evelyn in 1658. Very few of the letters are extant, but the diarist has left an account of a visit to Browne (Diary, Oct. 17, 1671). He died in 1682 on his 77th birthday, and was buried at St. Peter's, Mancroft, Norwich.
The Religio Medici was a puzzle to his contemporaries, and it is still hard to reconcile its contradictions. A Latin translation appeared at Leyden in 1644, and it was widely read on the Conti nent, being translated subsequently into Dutch, French and Ger man. In Rome the book was placed on the Index Expurgatorius. It is the confession of a mind keen and sceptical in some aspects, and credulous in others. Browne professes to be absolutely free from heretical opinions, but asserts the right to be guided by his own reason in cases where no precise guidance is given either by Scripture or by church teaching. The Pseudodoxia Epidemica, written in a direct and simple style, is a wonderful storehouse of out-of-the-way facts and scraps of erudition. That he himself was by no means free from superstition is proved by the fact that the condemnation of two unfortunate women, Amy Duny and Rose Cullender, for witchcraft at Norwich in was aided by his professional evidence. The Garden of Cyrus is a continued illustration of one quaint conceit. The whole universe is ran sacked for examples of the Quincunx, and he discovers, as Coler idge says, "Quincunxes in heaven above, quincunxes in earth below, quincunxes in the mind of man, quincunxes in tones, in optic nerves, in roots of trees, in leaves, in everything!" But the whole strength of his genius and the wonderful charm of his style are to be sought in the Urne-buriall, the concluding chapter of which, for richness of imagery and majestic pomp of diction, can hardly be paralleled in the English language.