Book review: Europe entered the 17th century at a time of religious conflict, political upheaval, famine and plague. The Little Ice Age was at its peak, bringing destructive storms, long winters and no summers. Yet by the end of the century, European civilisation emerged to be the dominant force in global politics, culture, the arts, science, business, philosophy and economics. In other words, the modern world as we know it.
Religion produced the 30 Years’ War, the Salem witch trials and monarchs who switched from Catholic to Protestant and back again like they changed clothes. The foundations were laid for the nation state, the concept of freedom and prosperity through commerce.
This also brought colonisation, its “dark underbelly” of slavery, and notions of egalitarianism and democracy. But the progressive forces of reason were undermined by a “far murkier world of instinctive impulse and dark irrational drives”, according to popular historian Paul Strathern.
Historians may quibble over euro-centric triumphalism inherent in labels such as the Age of Reason. This cuts no ice with traditionalist Strathern, now in his 80s. His early writing career produced a handful of novels based on his travels in Asia and Africa. Today, he is best known for his non-fiction titles, the most substantial ones being about the Italian Renaissance and the origins of medicine and science.
On top of this are dozens of 90-minute profiles of major philosophers, writers and scientists. From this substantial platform of knowledge, it would be a doddle to produce an intellectual history of the 17th century featuring polymaths such as Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz and Newton.
In 340 pages, not counting extensive source notes, colour illustrations and an index, Strathern ticks off the key contributors to this fervent mix of intellectual activity. As this book is intended for the general reader, a bibliography is excluded.
Strathern plays down the role of monarchs and politicians in favour of cultural achievers – painters (Caravaggio, Rubens, Rembrandt, Vermeer, El Greco and Velazquez), writers (Aubrey, Milton, Racine, Molière, Dryden, Cervantes), composers (Purcell) and thinkers (Descartes, Spinoza, Locke, Hobbes, Montaigne, Pascal).
Some had other skills, such as mathematics, and equal prominence is given to the pioneers of medicine and science (Bacon, Boyle, Harvey, Hooke, Halley). A sprinkling of lesser names, such as John Graunt (statistics), Antonie van Leeuwenhoek (microscopy) and ocean explorers (Willem Janzoon, Abel Tasman), add to the reader’s knowledge.
Some have accused Strathern of being a “once over lightly” historian who makes minor errors of fact and offers no great insights. This is unlikely to deter the general reader, who is regaled by stories such as the “calculus wars” between Newton and Leibniz.
Newton, the greatest English mind of the century, was secretive and averse to public debate or appearances. He did not publish much of his findings, including an early form of calculus. At some stage these were shown to Leibniz, the German philosopher who had independently developed his own version, which is still used today. Newton’s eccentricities didn’t end there. Appointed to Parliament, his only utterance was to ask for a window to be opened. He became paranoid in later life, afraid his heretical disbelief in the Christian trinity would be uncovered. He relentlessly pursued fraudsters who had debased the currency during his term as Master of the Mint.
Any shortcomings in Strathern’s breadth of knowledge are easily forgiven in an exciting and gossip-packed account of history’s most paradoxical century.
Dark Brilliance: The Age of Reason, from Descartes to Peter the Great by Paul Strathern (Atlantic Books, $39.99) is out now.
