In "Physico-theology," W. Derham presents an engaging synthesis of natural philosophy and theology, articulating the argument for divine design evident in the natural world. The book employs a didactic and accessible literary style, using clear prose paired with compelling examples from nature to demonstrate the harmony between science and faith during the early 18th century. Derham meticulously examines various aspects of the physical universe, including astronomy and biology, to illustra...

Shortly after Hooke died in 1703, his miscellaneous papers and unpublished manuscripts were entrusted to Richard Waller, who edited and published some of them in a volume titled The Posthumous Works of Robert Hooke (1705; reprinted, Frank Cass, 1968). Waller himself died, however, before he was able to complete the task of republishing Hooke’s papers and they were eventually handed on to William Derham. After delaying for what some of Hooke’s followers thought to be a scandalously...