In its day, Religio Medici
was a best-seller all throughout Europe. Even to this day, it is widely
circulated among novelists and writers. The book seems to be a type of
personal memoir. In it, Sir Thomas Browne deeply ruminates about, and
imaginatively speculates upon, the world. His reflections are often
theological--and controversial at that. (The book was eventually banned
in the 17th century.) Nevertheless, its possibly irreverent tone is
overcome by its brilliance in both context and style. It contains
beautiful phrases that express spiritual truths in new and interesting
ways. The prose is arcane, and can be difficult to decipher at times.
But the editor has provided notes where needed, explaining words and
illusions. Besides, half the joy in reading this book is getting lost in
the powerful prose.
