Philosophaster

Philosophaster is a play written by Robert Burton in the early 17th century. The play is a satire on the academic world and the pursuit of knowledge. The protagonist, Philomathes, is a young man who is obsessed with learning and becomes embroiled in a series of absurd philosophical debates with a group of scholars. As the play progresses, Philomathes becomes increasingly disillusioned with the academic world and ultimately rejects it altogether. The play is notable for its use of Latin and its critique of the scholastic tradition of the time. It is considered a precursor to the Enlightenment and a significant work in the history of English drama.An entertaining comedy replete with philosophy, alchemy, politics, and human nature from the author of the popular work: The Anatomy of Melancholy. Contents: Chronological Table; Philosophaster (original Latin with an English translation) Notes to Philosophaster; Facsimile of Burton's Autograph; Burton's Preface to Rider's Dictionarie; Burton's Poemata; Robert Burton's Will; Wood's Account of Burton.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.