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Excerpt

Excerpt from Religio Medici, Hydriotaphia, and the Letter to a Friend, by Sir Thomas Browne

This is the dormitive I take to bedward; I need no other laudanum
than this to make me sleep; after which I close mine eyes in security,
content to take my leave of the sun, and sleep unto the resurrection.

Sect. 13.--The method I should use in distributive justice, I often
observe in commutative; and keep a geometrical proportion in both,
whereby becoming equable to others, I become unjust to myself, and
supererogate in that common principle, “Do unto others as thou wouldst
be done unto thyself.” I was not born unto riches, neither is it, I
think, my star to be wealthy; or if it were, the freedom of my mind,
and frankness of my disposition, were able to contradict and cross my
fates: for to me avarice seems not so much a vice, as a deplorable
piece of madness; to conceive ourselves urinals, or be persuaded that
we are dead, is not so ridiculous, nor so many degrees beyond the power
of hellebore,[100] as this. The opinions of theory, and positions of
men, are not so void of reason, as their practised conclusions. Some
have held that snow is black, that the earth moves, that the soul is
air, fire, water; but all this is philosophy: and there is no delirium,
if we do but speculate the folly and indisputable dotage of avarice.
To that subterraneous idol, and god of the earth, I do confess I am
an atheist. I cannot persuade myself to honour that the world adores;
whatsoever virtue its prepared substance may have within my body, it
hath no influence nor operation without. I would not entertain a base
design, or an action that should call me villain, for the Indies; and
for this only do I love and honour my own soul, and have methinks two
arms too few to embrace myself. Aristotle is too severe, that will not
allow us to be truly liberal without wealth, and the bountiful hand of
fortune; if this be true, I must confess I am charitable only in my
liberal intentions, and bountiful well wishes. But if the example of
the mite be not only an act of wonder, but an example of the noblest
charity, surely poor men may also build hospitals, and the rich alone
have not erected cathedrals. I have a private method which others
observe not; I take the opportunity of myself to do good; I borrow
occasion of charity from my own necessities, and supply the wants of
others, when I am in most need myself: for it is an honest stratagem
to take advantage of ourselves, and so to husband the acts of virtue,
that, where they are defective in one circumstance, they may repay
their want, and multiply their goodness in another. I have not Peru in
my desires, but a competence and ability to perform those good works
to which he hath inclined my nature. He is rich who hath enough to be
charitable; and it is hard to be so poor that a noble mind may not find
a way to this piece of goodness. “He that giveth to the poor lendeth
to the Lord:” there is more rhetorick in that one sentence than in a
library of sermons. And indeed, if those sentences were understood by
the reader with the same emphasis as they are delivered by the author,
we needed not those volumes of instructions, but might be honest by
an epitome. Upon this motive only I cannot behold a beggar without
relieving his necessities with my purse, or his soul with my prayers.
These scenical and accidental differences between us cannot make me
forget that common and untoucht part of us both: there is under these
centoes[101] and miserable outsides, those mutilate and semi bodies,
a soul of the same alloy with our own, whose genealogy is God’s as
well as ours, and in as fair a way to salvation as ourselves. Statists
that labour to contrive a commonwealth without our poverty take away
the object of charity; not understanding only the commonwealth of a
Christian, but forgetting the prophecy of Christ.[S]

[S] “The poor ye have always with you.”

Explanation

**Detailed Explanation of the Excerpt from Religio Medici by Sir Thomas Browne**

Sir Thomas Browne (1605–1682) was an English physician, philosopher, and writer, best known for his intricate prose, metaphysical speculations, and deeply personal reflections on religion, science, and morality. Religio Medici ("The Religion of a Doctor," 1643) is his most famous work—a semi-autobiographical meditation blending Christian faith, scientific curiosity, and moral philosophy. The excerpt provided touches on themes of contentment, charity, the folly of avarice, and the equality of souls before God, all rendered in Browne’s characteristic baroque style: dense, allusive, and rich with classical and biblical references.

Context & Themes

Contentment & Mortality
- The opening lines ("This is the dormitive I take to bedward...") reflect Browne’s Stoic-Christian acceptance of death. He finds peace not in opiates (laudanum) but in spiritual resignation, trusting in resurrection.
- This sets the tone for his rejection of worldly anxieties, including wealth, in favor of divine providence.
Rejection of Avarice
- Browne condemns greed as a "deplorable piece of madness," comparing it to delusions (e.g., believing "snow is black" or "the earth moves"—a nod to Galileo’s controversial heliocentrism).
- His metaphor of avarice as a "subterraneous idol" (Pluto, god of the underworld and wealth) frames it as a false religion, contrasting with his Christian values.
Charity & Distributive Justice
- Browne advocates for a "geometrical proportion" in justice—treating others equitably, even at personal cost. He interprets the Golden Rule ("Do unto others...") as a call to supererogation (going beyond duty).
- His "private method" of charity—giving even when poor—echoes the biblical Widow’s Mite (Mark 12:41–44), where a penniless woman’s small offering is praised above rich men’s large donations.
Equality of Souls
- Browne dismantles social hierarchies by emphasizing the shared divinity of all souls, even beggars ("a soul of the same alloy with our own").
- He critiques political theorists ("statists") who ignore poverty, arguing that Christ’s prophecy ("The poor ye have always with you") is a call to charity, not resignation.
Faith vs. Reason
- Browne blends empirical observation (e.g., medical references to hellebore, a purgative) with theological conviction. His dismissal of "philosophy" (e.g., materialist theories of the soul as "air, fire, water") reflects his belief in transcendent truth.

Literary Devices & Style

Paradox & Oxymoron
- "I become unjust to myself" (by over-giving) and "honest stratagem" (charity as a calculated virtue) create tension between morality and pragmatism.
- "Supererogate in that common principle"—doing more than the Golden Rule demands.
Classical & Biblical Allusions
- Hellebore: A plant used to treat madness, contrasting with the "madness" of avarice.
- Aristotle’s ethics: Browne disputes Aristotle’s claim that liberality requires wealth, arguing virtue is independent of means.
- "The poor ye have always with you" (John 12:8) is reclaimed as a mandate for charity, not fatalism.
Metaphor & Personification
- Avarice as a "subterraneous idol" (Pluto) and "god of the earth" critiques materialism as idolatry.
- The soul as a metal ("same alloy") suggests intrinsic, uncorrupted value despite outward "mutilate and semi bodies."
Rhetorical Strategies
- Hyperbole: "I have methinks two arms too few to embrace myself"—his love for his soul (and by extension, others’) is boundless.
- Antithesis: "I was not born unto riches... neither is it my star to be wealthy" contrasts fate with free will.
- Sententiae: Aphoristic statements like "He is rich who hath enough to be charitable" distill complex ethics into memorable maxims.
Baroque Prose
- Browne’s sentences are latinate, with parallel structures ("I take the opportunity... I borrow occasion...") and layered clauses, mimicking the complexity of his thought.
- His meditative rhythm (e.g., "after which I close mine eyes in security...") invites slow, contemplative reading.

Significance of the Passage

Christian Humanism
- Browne merges Renaissance humanism (valuing individual dignity) with Christian charity, arguing that poverty does not preclude virtue.
- His emphasis on the soul’s equality challenges early modern social hierarchies.
Critique of Materialism
- In an era of mercantilism and colonial exploitation (note his rejection of "Peru in my desires"), Browne’s dismissal of wealth as a measure of worth is radical.
- His "atheism" toward money ("I cannot persuade myself to honour that the world adores") aligns with medieval contemptus mundi ("contempt for the world").
Theology of Charity
- Browne’s charity is active and personal—not just alms, but prayers and recognition of shared humanity. This reflects the Protestant ethic of good works (though he was Anglican, his tone is ecumenical).
- His interpretation of Christ’s words on poverty as a call to action, not despair, counters Calvinist predestination.
Literary Influence
- Browne’s style influenced later writers like Samuel Johnson, Coleridge, and Borges, who admired his fusion of erudition and mysticism.
- Religio Medici is a key text in metaphysical prose, alongside Donne’s sermons and Burton’s Anatomy of Melancholy.

Line-by-Line Analysis of Key Sections

"I need no other laudanum than this to make me sleep..."
- Laudanum (opium tincture) symbolizes worldly escapes, but Browne’s "dormitive" is faith in resurrection. His sleep is not oblivion but trust in God’s promise.
"I keep a geometrical proportion in both [justice types]..."
- "Geometrical proportion" (from Euclidean math) implies precise, balanced fairness, but Browne twists it: he skews the balance toward others, shortchanging himself.
"To me avarice seems not so much a vice, as a deplorable piece of madness..."
- He medicalizes greed, comparing it to delusions (e.g., believing "we are dead" or "urinals"—a jab at Paracelsus’ alchemical theories). This frames avarice as a cognitive disorder, not just moral failing.
"I have a private method which others observe not..."
- His "stratagem" of giving when poor is subversive: it redefines charity as creative, not conditional. The "mite" (lepton) becomes a symbol of infinite value in finitude.
"These scenical and accidental differences between us..."
- "Scenical" (theatrical) suggests social roles are performative, while "untoucht part" (the soul) is eternal. This echoes Shakespeare’s "All the world’s a stage" but with a theological twist.
"Statists that labour to contrive a commonwealth without our poverty..."
- A critique of Utopian political theory (e.g., Bacon’s New Atlantis or Harrington’s Oceana), which often ignored poverty. Browne insists charity is foundational to a Christian society.

Conclusion: Browne’s Enduring Message

This excerpt encapsulates Browne’s idiosyncratic blend of piety, wit, and moral urgency. His rejection of wealth, his radical empathy for the poor, and his lyrical prose make Religio Medici a timeless meditation on how to live well. In an age of religious strife (the English Civil War loomed) and scientific upheaval (Galileo’s trial was recent), Browne’s work bridges faith and reason, individual and community, body and soul.

His final line—"forgetting the prophecy of Christ"—is a gentle rebuke: true Christianity is not about eliminating poverty (an impossible task) but responding to it with love. In Browne’s world, even a beggar’s soul is a cathedral.

Questions

Question 1

The passage’s opening sentence—"This is the dormitive I take to bedward; I need no other laudanum than this to make me sleep..."—primarily serves to:

A. establish the narrator’s medical expertise by invoking pharmacological imagery.
B. contrast the physical act of sleep with the spiritual state of death.
C. frame the narrator’s contentment as an antidote to existential anxiety.
D. critique the overreliance on opiates in 17th-century medicine.
E. introduce a metaphor for the numbing effect of religious dogma.

Question 2

When Browne asserts that "I become unjust to myself, and supererogate in that common principle, ‘Do unto others as thou wouldst be done unto thyself,’" he is most clearly engaging in:

A. a rejection of the Golden Rule as impractical in a hierarchical society.
B. an ironic inversion of Christian ethics to justify self-interest.
C. a utilitarian calculation of moral trade-offs.
D. a paradoxical extension of virtue beyond reciprocal fairness.
E. a Stoic resignation to the inevitability of personal sacrifice.

Question 3

The phrase "I cannot persuade myself to honour that the world adores" is best understood as an expression of:

A. ascetic contempt for all worldly attachments.
B. defiant individualism in the face of societal idolatry.
C. a Platonic dismissal of material reality as illusion.
D. a Puritanical fear of wealth as inherently corrupting.
E. a cynical observation about the hypocrisy of organized religion.

Question 4

Browne’s claim that "He is rich who hath enough to be charitable" primarily functions as:

A. a redefinition of wealth in terms of moral capacity rather than material possession.
B. a pragmatic concession to the limitations of the poor.
C. an indictment of the wealthy for their failure to build hospitals.
D. a literal prescription for economic redistribution.
E. a rhetorical flourish devoid of substantive ethical content.

Question 5

The passage’s closing argument—"Statists that labour to contrive a commonwealth without our poverty take away the object of charity..."—is most fundamentally a critique of:

A. socialist utopianism for ignoring human nature.
B. Enlightenment rationalism for dismissing religious duty.
C. mercantilist economics for exacerbating inequality.
D. political theories that eliminate the conditions for virtue.
E. Christian quietism for failing to address structural injustice.

Solutions and Explanations

1) Correct answer: C

Why C is most correct: The opening sentence uses the metaphor of a "dormitive" (sleep-inducing agent) to describe the narrator’s spiritual resignation—a state of contentment that obviates the need for literal opiates (laudanum). The passage frames this contentment as a remedy for existential dread ("take my leave of the sun, and sleep unto the resurrection"), positioning faith as an "antidote" to anxiety about mortality. The tone is serene, not critical or technical, and the imagery is psychological/spiritual, not pharmacological or dogmatic.