Lent Term 2010

This term we will focus on alchemy and chemistry, reading an array of texts from different genres and time periods. We meet fortnightly on Monday evenings, from 7.30-9pm, in a new venue: room MAB G03 at Homerton College. Readings are detailed below, and photocopied packs will be made available from the Group boxfile in the Whipple Library from the beginning of term. Organised by Daniel Friesner (Science Museum) and Melanie Keene (Homerton College). For updates, further information and relevant news listings please see this blog; email Melanie to join our dedicated mailing list. All welcome!

18th January

Selections from Elias Ashmole (ed.), Theatrum Chemicum Britannicum (London: 1652).

Reprinted as No. 39 of The Sources of Science by Johnson Reprint Corporation, New York & London, 1967.  Available online at http://dewey.library.upenn.edu/sceti/printedbooksNew/index.cfm?textID=ashmole (Note that pp. 281-288 are misnumbered in the printed text.)  We will look at  "Pearce the Black Monke upon the Elixir" (pp. 269-274) "The Breviary of Naturall Philosophy.  Compiled by the unlettered Scholar Thomas Charnock" (pp. 291-303 in the printed text; 287-303 online) "The Vision of Sr George Ripley" (pp. 374)

1st February

Honoré de Balzac, La Recherche de l'absolu (1834).

This has been translated into English at least three times: by William Robson as Balthazar; or, Science and Love (1859), by Katharine Prescott Wormeley as The Alkahest: or, The House of Claës (1887), by Ellen Marriage as The Quest of the Absolute (1895). We will use the Ellen Marriage translation, as this is the cheapest one to buy in paperback reprint.  Various texts are also available online from google books, Internet Archive, and Project Gutenberg.

15th February

Primo Levi, L'altrui mestiere (1985).  Translated by Raymond Rosenthal as Other People's Trades.  Michael Joseph Ltd, London, 1989. This is a collection of short essays, which originally appeared in

the Turin newspaper La Stampa.  We will look at "The Mark of the Chemist" (pp. 86-90), "The Language of Chemists (I)" (pp. 100-105), "The Language of Chemists (II)" (pp. 106-110), "Ex-Chemist" (pp. 174-176)

in conjunction with two chapters from Oliver Sacks' memoir, Uncle Tungsten: Memories of a Chemical Boyhood (2001). Reprinted by Picador, London, 2002. Chapter 7, "Chemical Recreations" (pp. 67-76) Chapter 8, "Stinks and Bangs" (pp. 77-90)

1st March

Tony Harrison, Square Rounds.  Faber and Faber, London, 1992.