Bookbot

The Secret Commonwealth

Valutazione del libro

Maggiori informazioni sul libro

In the late seventeenth century, Robert Kirk, an Episcopalian minister in the Scottish Highlands, sought to gather his parishioners' captivating tales of elves, fairies, fauns, doppelgängers, wraiths, and other beings that he described as "a middle nature betwixt man and angel." Kirk viewed these stories as compelling evidence of a supernatural realm existing alongside our own, which he believed warranted exploration as much as the New World. He articulated these views in The Secret Commonwealth, an essay left in manuscript form at his death in 1692. This rare work blends science, religion, and folklore, infused with the curiosity and wonder reminiscent of Robert Burton's Anatomy of Melancholy and Sir Thomas Browne's writings. The Secret Commonwealth stands out not only as a significant document in the history of ideas but also as a captivating study of enchantment. First published in 1815 by Sir Walter Scott and later reedited in 1893 by Andrew Lang, it has been hard to find, often available only in scholarly editions. The new edition modernizes Kirk's spelling and punctuation and includes a comprehensive introduction by critic and historian Marina Warner, highlighting Kirk's unique contributions and the enduring presence of fairies in contemporary thought.

Acquisto del libro

The Secret Commonwealth, Marina Warner

Lingua
Pubblicato
2019
product-detail.submit-box.info.binding
(In brossura)
Ti avviseremo via email non appena lo rintracceremo.

Metodi di pagamento

3,5
Ok
124 Valutazioni

Qui potrebbe esserci la tua recensione.

Titolo
The Secret Commonwealth
Lingua
Inglese
Formato
In brossura
Pagine
144
ISBN10
1681373564
ISBN13
9781681373560
Serie
Valutazione
3,5 su 5
Descrizione
In the late seventeenth century, Robert Kirk, an Episcopalian minister in the Scottish Highlands, sought to gather his parishioners' captivating tales of elves, fairies, fauns, doppelgängers, wraiths, and other beings that he described as "a middle nature betwixt man and angel." Kirk viewed these stories as compelling evidence of a supernatural realm existing alongside our own, which he believed warranted exploration as much as the New World. He articulated these views in The Secret Commonwealth, an essay left in manuscript form at his death in 1692. This rare work blends science, religion, and folklore, infused with the curiosity and wonder reminiscent of Robert Burton's Anatomy of Melancholy and Sir Thomas Browne's writings. The Secret Commonwealth stands out not only as a significant document in the history of ideas but also as a captivating study of enchantment. First published in 1815 by Sir Walter Scott and later reedited in 1893 by Andrew Lang, it has been hard to find, often available only in scholarly editions. The new edition modernizes Kirk's spelling and punctuation and includes a comprehensive introduction by critic and historian Marina Warner, highlighting Kirk's unique contributions and the enduring presence of fairies in contemporary thought.