Compare the following two illustrations and descriptions and jot down key words and details that illustrate the differences between Hooke's natural history and Topsell's unnatural natural history. What conclusions can you draw about the range of views of nature and knowledge in the Renaissance?

Here's Hooke's most famous drawing. Be sure to remove your dog or cat from the room first!

And here's Hooke's description of his drawing. Go ahead, you can read it!

Now here's Topsell's illustration of "The Mantichora", followed by his description:

Have you ever seen one of these guys on a box of Frosted Flakes? If you have, perhaps you need to visit a detox center. Now, Topsell's description:

Note that I didn't copy the whole of Topsell's description, just a part.

Are you at all familiar with the conflict in our own age between scientists who study nature according to theories of evolution and others who study nature based on belief in creationism? Can you see the roots of this conflict in the specimens of Renaissance texts you've just seen?

The Renaissance is full of such conflicts between traditional, religious belief and scientific observation (which prizes the insights and sensory experience of the individual). In this way, it's the grandparent of our own times.

Click here to move to the next page, which will first show you the title page of the anti-astrology, anti-fortune-teller pamphlet "Astrologaster," and then an example of the title pageof a fortune-teller's pamphlet, "Strange and Wonderfull Prophesies."