The Medical World of Margaret Cavendish: A Critical Edition

The University of Nottingham's manuscript compilation of medical recipes and letters, collected by the Marquess and Marchioness of Newcastle, William and Margaret Cavendish, during the 1640s and 1650s, is the focus of this book. It includes letters of advice, recipes, and philosophical and medical reflections by influential physicians, philosophers, and courtly scholars of the early seventeenth century, such as Theodore de Mayerne, Kenelm Digby, and Margaret Cavendish. The transcription and commentary provide a new perspective on this important document, revealing the Cavendishes' medical preoccupations, natural philosophical views, and political interests.

Format: Hardback
Length: 395 pages
Publication date: 02 January 2023
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland AG

This captivating yet largely overlooked manuscript compilation, consisting of medical recipes and letters, is housed in the University of Nottingham. Compiled by the Marquess and Marchioness of Newcastle, William and Margaret Cavendish, during the 1640s and 1650s, this manuscript showcases a plethora of letters offering advice, recipes, and philosophical and medical reflections from some of the most renowned and influential physicians, philosophers, and courtly scholars of the early seventeenth century. Among these esteemed figures are "Europes physician" Theodore de Mayerne, the adventurous courtier Kenelm Digby, and the natural philosopher, poet, and playwright Margaret Cavendish. While the meticulous transcription and accompanying annotations provide a unique opportunity for a wide range of readers to delve into the manuscript for the first time, the introduction contextualizes the Cavendishes' recipe collecting habits, medical interests, natural philosophical viewpoints, and political inclinations within their social, cultural, and philosophical milieus. It also highlights the profound implications of this significant document.

Weight: 662g
Dimension: 156 x 220 x 30 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783030929268
Edition number: 1st ed. 2022