John Aubrey

The Natural History of Wiltshire, has been considered an important book throughout the human history. So that this work is never forgotten we have made efforts in its preservation by republishing this book in a modern format for present and future generations. The whole book has been reformatted, retyped and designed. This book is not made of scanned copies and hence the text is clear and readable.

Brief Lives (1669-1697) is a collection of short biographical sketches on famous British figures by author, antiquarian, and archaeologist John Aubrey. The work is significant for its unique style, a blend of facts—names, dates, family, important works—and personal anecdotes for which Aubrey combined his skills for research and conversation to compile. Unpublished during his lifetime, the text was pieced together from extensive handwritten manuscripts by numerous editors and scholars, and over the centuries has become a beloved cultural artifact of early-modern Britain. A fascinating figure and gifted researcher in his own right, John Aubrey sought to capture the significance of his era and the people whose contributions to art, politics, science, and philosophy were not only changing Britain, but the world, forever. As a historical record, his Brief Lives provides valuable information on such figures as poet John Milton, playwright William Shakespeare, philosopher Thomas Hobbes, and chemist Robert Boyle. But as a work of art, the text humanizes them, reminding its readers that these were people whose desires, imperfections, and day-to-day lives were not unlike our own. We turn to his works to discover that Sir Walter Raleigh was a “poor” scholar “immerst…in fabrication of his owne fortunes,” or to read that Shakespeare, the son of a butcher who worked for his father as a youth, was known to “make a speech” while slaughtering a calf. At times straightforwardly factual, at others filled with gossip, Brief Lives is a document of its time that attempts to record a living history of knowledge and influence. Whether it succeeds is beside the point—that it speaks to us centuries on is the heart of the matter, the reason it must be read. A well-known man in his lifetime, Aubrey moved between cultural and political circles with ease, compiling the sources that would later become Brief Lives. Although a tireless writer and scholar, he published little during his life. His work, including Brief Lives, is thus the product of centuries of diligent research and editing from numerous scholars who understood, as the reader of this volume surely will, that Aubrey’s work deserved to reach the public. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of John Aubrey’s Brief Lives is a classic of British literature and biography reimagined for modern readers.

Brief Lives (1669-1697) is a collection of short biographical sketches on famous British figures by author, antiquarian, and archaeologist John Aubrey. The work is significant for its unique style, a blend of facts—names, dates, family, important works—and personal anecdotes for which Aubrey combined his skills for research and conversation to compile. Unpublished during his lifetime, the text was pieced together from extensive handwritten manuscripts by numerous editors and scholars, and over the centuries has become a beloved cultural artifact of early-modern Britain. A fascinating figure and gifted researcher in his own right, John Aubrey sought to capture the significance of his era and the people whose contributions to art, politics, science, and philosophy were not only changing Britain, but the world, forever. As a historical record, his Brief Lives provides valuable information on such figures as poet John Milton, playwright William Shakespeare, philosopher Thomas Hobbes, and chemist Robert Boyle. But as a work of art, the text humanizes them, reminding its readers that these were people whose desires, imperfections, and day-to-day lives were not unlike our own. We turn to his works to discover that Sir Walter Raleigh was a “poor” scholar “immerst…in fabrication of his owne fortunes,” or to read that Shakespeare, the son of a butcher who worked for his father as a youth, was known to “make a speech” while slaughtering a calf. At times straightforwardly factual, at others filled with gossip, Brief Lives is a document of its time that attempts to record a living history of knowledge and influence. Whether it succeeds is beside the point—that it speaks to us centuries on is the heart of the matter, the reason it must be read. A well-known man in his lifetime, Aubrey moved between cultural and political circles with ease, compiling the sources that would later become Brief Lives. Although a tireless writer and scholar, he published little during his life. His work, including Brief Lives, is thus the product of centuries of diligent research and editing from numerous scholars who understood, as the reader of this volume surely will, that Aubrey’s work deserved to reach the public. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of John Aubrey’s Brief Lives is a classic of British literature and biography reimagined for modern readers.

Brief Lives, Vol. 1 "", has been considered a very important part of the human history, but is currently not available in printed formats. Hence so that this work is never forgotten we have made efforts in its preservation by republishing this book in a modern format so that it is never forgotten and always remembered by the present and future generations. These books are not made of scanned copies of their original work and hence the text is clear and readable. This whole book has been reformatted, retyped and designed.

Brief Lives, Vol. 2 "", has been considered a very important part of the human history, but is currently not available in printed formats. Hence so that this work is never forgotten we have made efforts in its preservation by republishing this book in a modern format so that it is never forgotten and always remembered by the present and future generations. These books are not made of scanned copies of their original work and hence the text is clear and readable. This whole book has been reformatted, retyped and designed.

This book has been considered by academicians and scholars of great significance and value to literature. This forms a part of the knowledge base for future generations. So that the book is never forgotten we have represented this book in a print format as the same form as it was originally first published. Hence any marks or annotations seen are left intentionally to preserve its true nature.

Brief Lives - Vol. 2 is an unchanged, high-quality reprint of the original edition . Hansebooks is editor of the literature on different topic areas such as research and science, travel and expeditions, cooking and nutrition, medicine, and other genres. As a publisher we focus on the preservation of historical literature. Many works of historical writers and scientists are available today as antiques only. Hansebooks newly publishes these books and contributes to the preservation of literature which has become rare and historical knowledge for the future.

The Natural History of Wiltshire is an unchanged, high-quality reprint of the original edition . Hansebooks is editor of the literature on different topic areas such as research and science, travel and expeditions, cooking and nutrition, medicine, and other genres. As a publisher we focus on the preservation of historical literature. Many works of historical writers and scientists are available today as antiques only. Hansebooks newly publishes these books and contributes to the preservation of literature which has become rare and historical knowledge for the future.