Originally curated by Harvard President Charles W. Eliot as a complete liberal education in fifty volumes, the Harvard Classics gathers philosophy, science, literature, and history into a single indispensable library. Plato's dialogues and Marcus Aurelius's meditations sit alongside Dante's Divine Comedy, Francis Bacon's essays, Charles Darwin's scientific writing, and Benjamin Franklin's autobiography, tracing the foundations of Western thought from ancient Greece to the modern age. Homer...

( newly updated TOC ) The Harvard Universal Classics, originally known as Dr. Eliot's Five Foot Shelf, is a 51-volume anthology of classic works from world literature, compiled and edited by Harvard University president Charles W. Eliot and first published in 1909. Eliot had stated in speeches that the elements of a liberal education could be obtained by spending 15 minutes a day reading from a collection of books that could fit on a five-foot shelf. (Originally he had said a three-foot sh...

Discover the ultimate collection of classic literature with "The Complete Harvard Classics 2023 Edition". This edition includes all 71 volumes of "The Five Foot Shelf" and "The Shelf of Fiction", featuring timeless masterpieces such as "The Arabian Nights", "Paradise Lost", "Hamlet", and much more. Each volume has been carefully selected to offer an unforgettable reading experience. Additionally, this edition is presented in an easy-to-navigate format that allows you to easily browse the l...

Sir Thomas Browne was a 17th century author who wrote on a wide variety of subjects including medicine, religion, science and the esoteric. He is best known for his work entitled "Religio Medici", or "The Religion of a Doctor", which is Browne's own spiritual testament and an early example of a psychological self-portrait.Published in 1643, shortly after the author had qualified himself to practice medicine, "Religio Medici" became a best-seller throughout the European continent an...

In "Notes and Letters on the Natural History of Norfolk," Sir Thomas Browne embarks on a meticulous exploration of the natural world, blending empirical observation with a rich philosophical inquiry. Written in the 17th century, this work reflects the burgeoning interest in natural history during the Enlightenment era, characterized by a distinctive prose style that marries scientific observation with lyrical eloquence. Browne'Äôs observations encompass a diverse array of flora and fauna n...

An essential classic from legendary author, Sir Thomas Browne.

The Religio Medici is the apologia of a learned physician who was proud to be a Christian and a member of the Church of England as established by Elizabeth I. He recognized that under Henry VIII the Church in England had been the catholic Church in schism, whereas the Elizabethan Establishment was regarded as heretical by Rome. Yet hew rote courteously about the Pope. Unlike many seventeenth-century Protestants he never described St Peter's successor as 'Balschazar', 'the Man of Sin,' or '...

The seventeenth century writer Sir Thomas Browne was an English polymath and author of varied works, revealing his wide learning in diverse fields, including science and medicine, religion and the esoteric. His most famous work is ‘Religio Medici’, a journal principally concerning the mysteries of God, nature and man, which he described as “a private exercise directed to myself.” It was an immediate success and was soon circulated widely in Europe. Noted for his melancholia tone, Browne’s ...

The Harvard Classics: Complete 51-Volume Collection offers an unparalleled exploration of the foundational texts that have shaped Western thought, literature, and science. This anthology encompasses a breathtaking array of genres and styles, ranging from the drama of Shakespeare and Sophocles to the philosophical treatises of Plato and Kant, and the insightful essays of Montaigne and Emerson. The collection is celebrated not only for its diversity but also for standout compilations that we...

The Works of Sir Thomas Browne, Volume 1 is a profound collection that showcases the intellectual depth and literary prowess of Sir Thomas Browne, a 17th-century polymath. This volume includes some of his most significant writings, reflecting his curiosity about the natural world, philosophy, and the human condition. Browne's unique style combines scientific inquiry with poetic language, making his works both informative and aesthetically pleasing. His exploration of topics such as religio...

The Complete Harvard Anthology of the Greatest Works of World Literature gathers an extraordinary span of epic, drama, philosophy, essay, satire, fable, devotional writing, political reflection, and lyric poetry. Moving from classical antiquity through the Renaissance, Enlightenment, Romanticism, and Victorian moral criticism, it presents world literature as a continuing conversation about virtue, power, imagination, faith, reason, liberty, and human suffering. Its range includes tragic dr...

Thomas Browne's Religio Medici is a landmark work in the history of English literature and spiritual reflection, blending personal devotion, philosophy, and natural observation into a deeply contemplative narrative. First published in 1643, this remarkable text offers a unique insight into the mind of a 17th-century physician grappling with faith, reason, and the mysteries of existence. In Religio Medici, Browne presents an intimate exploration of his own religious beliefs, moral reflectio...