'A frontispiece in any sense they please'? On the significance of the engraved title-page of John Wilkins's A Discourse concerning A NEW world & Another Planet, 1640

Kaoukji and Jardine pose the question of why an apparently riddling title page introduces a work which repeatedly denounces the deciphering of riddles. John Wilkins, 1614-1672, an Anglican clergyman, is remembered by historians of science primarily for his promotion of the New Science in England. He...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Word & image (London. 1985) 2010-11, Vol.26 (4), p.429-447
Main Authors: Kaoukji, N., Jardine, N.
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:Kaoukji and Jardine pose the question of why an apparently riddling title page introduces a work which repeatedly denounces the deciphering of riddles. John Wilkins, 1614-1672, an Anglican clergyman, is remembered by historians of science primarily for his promotion of the New Science in England. He went on to become one of the founding members of the Royal Society. Yet despite his active involvement with scientific groups, Wilkins's output throughout his career was exclusively literary. "The Discovery of a World in the Moon", 1638, Wilkins's first published work, presented a world of truths previously unguessed at which lay waiting to be uncovered by the diligent explorer. The "Discovery" was reissued in an expanded edition in 1640 as the first book of "A Discourse concerning a NEW world & Another Planet in 2 Books".
ISSN:0266-6286
1943-2178
DOI:10.1080/02666281003619399