Seeking Natural Knowledge in Later 17th Century England - Robert Plot, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford Philosophical Society

A narrative description of the context of natural history study and collecting in later 17th century England. It is constructed around the biography of the central figure of Robert Plot, but with his activities placed in a broader European context.

List of contents

• Preface


• List of illustrations


• 1: From Cosmos to Parish


• 2: Robert Plot


• 3: The Ashmolean Museum


• 4: The Oxford Philosophical Society


• 5: Biographical Notes on Members and Correspondents of the Philosophical Society


• 6: Aftermath


• Appendix 1: Concerning Robert Plot, deceased


• Appendix 2: Bibliography of Robert Plot


• Appendix 3: Bodleian Library Ms Ashmole 1813. Items omitted from this volume in the publication by R. T. Gunther, Early Science in Oxford, xii. Dr Plot and the correspondence of the Philosophical Society of Oxford, Oxford 1939


• Appendix 4: Collections of the Oxford Philosophical Society


• Appendix 5: Five letters from Maurice Wheeler to Edward Lhywd


• Appendix 6: Portraits of Robert Plot


• Appendix 7: Programmes of the extra-curricular lectures on mathematics and natural philosophy by David Gregory and John Keill


• Appendix 8: Michael Burghers' engraving of the East entrance to the Ashmolean Musæum


• Bibliography


• Index

About the author

Anthony Turner is an Oxford trained historian and independent scholar with an interest in the social history of ideas during the Ancien Régime and on the history of scientific instruments, clocks, watches, and sundials. Consultant to Sotheby's, Bonhams, and Artcurial for scientific instruments, he also acts as expert for horology and science sales in Paris. A major research project of the past three decades has been the conception and development of a bio-bibliographical data base of French and Swiss scientific instrument makers.

Product details

• Authors: Anthony Turner
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Release: 19.06.2025
• EAN: 9780198950332
• ISBN: 978-0-19-895033-2
• No. of pages: 368
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Natural sciences (general); SCIENCE / History, SCIENCE / Philosophy & Social Aspects, TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING / Social Aspects, SCIENCE / Scientific Instruments, SCIENCE / Laboratory Techniques, History of Science, Impact of science & technology on society, Impact of science and technology on society, Scientific equipment, experiments & techniques, Scientific equipment, experiments and techniques, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Technology Studies, Later 17th century c 1650 to c 1699