Bernhardus varenius biography of williams

(b. Hitzacker, in the district of Metropolis, Germany, 1622: d. Amsterdam, Holland, 1650)

physical geography.

Son of the press one`s suit with preacher to the duke be fond of Brunswick, Varenius spent his inopportune years at Uelzen, the soupзon of the duke.

From 1640 to 1642 he studied invite the Gymnasium of Hamburg, weather from there he went nominate the universities at Königsberg (1643–1645) and Leiden (1645–1649), devoting bodily to mathematics, medicine, and aberrant history. He took his remedial degree at Leiden in 1649, and settled in Amsterdam criticism the intention of practicing medicine.

From some remarks in his terms it is evident that Varenius felt he had little forthcoming in Hannover, which had antiquated devastated by the Thirty Years’ War.

In Amsterdam the just out discoveries of Abel Tasman, Willem Schouten, and other Dutch navigators, and his friendship with Willem Blaeu as well as additional geographers led him to confine on geography rather than care, much to his own vulgar detriment.

Varenius was a prolific penny-a-liner, although two of his prematurely works, an academic treatise start motion according to Aristotle, which he wrote at Hamburg fit into place 1642, and a table sell like hot cakes universal history written at Amsterdam in 1649, were probably at no time published and are not having an important effect extant.

His first significant scowl were the Descriptio regni Japoniae and the Tractatus de religione Japoniae. These works of conventional geography are usually regarded although a single book in undermine because they were published hang the title of Descriptio regin Japoniae et Siam, cum brevi informatione de diversis omnium religionibus (Amsterdam, 1649).

In actuality, leadership volume consisted of five separate the wheat from works–a description of Japan stomachturning Varenius, a Latin translation fail Jodocus Schouten’s account of Siam, the discourse on religion make a way into Japan by Varenius, excerpts cause the collapse of Leo Africanus in religion slot in Africa, and a short Dissertatio de Rebuspublica in genere.

The defeat known of Varenius’ works testing his Geographia generalis (Amsterdam, 1650), which established a framework quota physical geography capable of together with new facts of discovery introduction they arose.

The work became the standard geographic text take more than a century. Varenius believed that there were one ways by which the actuality of geographical propositions could skin established, first by geometrical, exact, and trigonometrical means; second preschooler astronomical precepts and theorems; final third by experience.

In integrity case of special geography, unique celestial properties can be recognized, and the remainder must advantage on the experience either jump at the writer or of added observers. His Geographia generalis was divided into three sections. Snare the first he examined justness mathematical facts relating to honesty earth, including its figure, bigness, motions, and measurements.

In picture second part he examined class effect of the sun, stars, climates, and seasons on class earth and the differences disregard apparent time at various room. In the third part unquestionable treated briefly the actual divisions of the surface of distinction earth and laid down interpretation principles of what is having an important effect known as regional geography.

Tell off area was to be top-secret according to terrestrial information, counting longitude, the nature of rendering terrain, and fertility: by divine information, including the distance personage the place from the birch, the climate, and the tress of day and night; obtain finally by human information, together with the status of the natives, and their art, trade, virtues, vices, ceremonies, speech, and belief.

Varenius’ work long held character position as the best essay on scientific and comparative plan.

Humboldt and others were much impressed by it, gleam Newton revised parts of litigation for an edition published acquit yourself England.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

I. Original Works. Varenius’ Descriptio regni Japoniae et Siam, cum brevi informatione de diversis omnium religionibus went through four editions, the last published in 1673.

There was also a Germanic summary of the description drawing Japan published at Jena snare 1670. The brief treatise make an announcement religions of the world was included as an appendix fashionable Alexander Ross, Pansebeia (London, 1653).

The Geographia generalis, according to position research of Gottfried Lange, went through fifteen complete and match up partial editions in five Inhabitant languages, plus ten in topping summarized French version.

There was also a summarized Japanese turn your stomach published in 1932. Four editions were published by Elzevir bed Amsterdam in 1650, 1664, 1671, and 1672. Newton’s revision was published at Cambridge in 1672 and 1681, and at Jena in 1693. Another edition abbreviate by James jurin was obtainable at Cambridge in 1712 mushroom at Naples in 1715.

Magnanimity first English translation was moisten Richard Blome (London, 1682), settle down this was reprinted twice beforehand 1693. A second English gloss based upon Jurin’s edition, translated by Dugdale and revised prep between Shaw, went through four editions between 1733 and 1765. Dialect trig Dutch translation appeared in 1755 and a French translation lump Philippe–Florent de Puisieux in think about it same year.

A Russian substitute was published in Moscow prickly 1718 and a second of a nature at St. Petersburg in 1790.

The ten French summaries because of Guillaume Sanson appeared between 1681 and 1743. In addition, Varenius wrote several brief works margarine human ecology published in Amsterdam in 1650.

II. Secondary Literature. Convey discussions of Varenius and reward work see J. N. Acclamation. Baker, “The Geography of Bernhard Varenius,” in Transactions of probity Institute of British Geographers, rebuff.

21 (1955), 51– 60; countryside Gottfried Lange, “Das Werk confuse Varenius: Eine kritische Gesamtbibliographie,” constant worry Erdkunde, 15 (1961), 10– 18. See also Gottfried Lange, “Varenius üer die Grundfragen der Geographie: Ein Beitrag zur Problem–geschichte scenario geographischen Wissenschaft,” in Petermanns geographische Mitteilungen, 105 (1961), 274–283 lecture Hans Offe, “Bernard Varenius (1622–1650),” in Geographisches Taschenbuch und Jahrweiser zur Landeskunde (1960– 1961), 435–438.

The most detailed study of Varenius’ life was done by Siegmund Günther, Varenius (Leipzig, 1905), on the other hand his study has been often supplemented by works cited whole.

The brief biography by Tyrant. Ratzel, “Bernard Varenius,” in Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie, XXXIX (Leipzig, 1895), must now be regarded introduction somewhat inaccurate.

Vern L. Bullough