Thomas Vaughan (philosopher)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Vaughan was a Welsh
philosopher.
A Royalist
clergyman from Brecon
, Wales
, Thomas was the twin brother of the poet Henry Vaughan
, both being born at Newton
, in the parish of St. Briget's, in 1621. Vaughan entered Jesus College, Oxford
, in 1638, and remained there for a decade during the English Civil War
. He became rector of the parish of Llansanffraid (St. Briget) Wales and took up medical studies, motivated by the lack of doctors in Wales. In 1650, he was evicted from the parish because of his Royalist sympathies. He married his wife Rebecca in 1651 and spent the next period of his life in London. His wife died in 1658.
Although he did not practice medicine, Vaughan sought to apply his chemical skills to preparing medicines in the manner recommended by Paracelsus
. He corresponded with Samuel Hartlib
, and established a reputation with his book Anthroposophia Theomagica, a magico-mystical work.
Vaughan was unusual amongst alchemist
s of the time in that he worked closely with his wife Rebecca Vaughan, and valued and even saw as essential, their joint work.
By his own admission, he was a member of the famous Society of Unknown Philosophers. He was responsible for translating into English in 1652 the highly influential tract The Fama Fraternitatis
Rosae Crucis an anonymous Rosicrucian manifesto first published in 1614 in Kassel.
Vaughan later became involved with a plan of Dr. Robert Child to form a chemical club, with a laboratory and library, the main aim being to translate and collect chemical works. In the course of litigation with one Edward Bolnest, Vaughan was accused of spending 'most of his time in the study of Natuall Philosophy and Chimicall Phisick'. He is reported as having confessed that he had 'long sought and long missed ... the philosopher's stone'.
It is possible that Thomas Vaughan was the author of tracts published under the pseudonym "Eugenius Philalethes", although other alchemists and natural philosophers could also have been the author. However it seems that Vaughan is the most likely contender.
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
philosopher.
A Royalist
Cavalier
Cavalier was the name used by Parliamentarians for a Royalist supporter of King Charles I and son Charles II during the English Civil War, the Interregnum, and the Restoration...
clergyman from Brecon
Brecon
Brecon is a long-established market town and community in southern Powys, Mid Wales, with a population of 7,901. It was the county town of the historic county of Brecknockshire; although its role as such was eclipsed with the formation of Powys, it remains an important local centre...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, Thomas was the twin brother of the poet Henry Vaughan
Henry Vaughan
Henry Vaughan was a Welsh physician and metaphysical poet.Vaughan and his twin brother the hermetic philosopher and alchemist Thomas Vaughan, were the sons of Thomas Vaughan and his wife Denise of 'Trenewydd', Newton, in Brecknockshire, Wales...
, both being born at Newton
Newton, Brecknockshire
Newton is a hamlet located between the market town of Brecon and the village of Llansantffraed, mid Wales, on the A40 road. It was the birthplace of the poet Henry Vaughan....
, in the parish of St. Briget's, in 1621. Vaughan entered Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College is one of the colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship Street, Cornmarket Street and Market Street...
, in 1638, and remained there for a decade during the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
. He became rector of the parish of Llansanffraid (St. Briget) Wales and took up medical studies, motivated by the lack of doctors in Wales. In 1650, he was evicted from the parish because of his Royalist sympathies. He married his wife Rebecca in 1651 and spent the next period of his life in London. His wife died in 1658.
Although he did not practice medicine, Vaughan sought to apply his chemical skills to preparing medicines in the manner recommended by Paracelsus
Paracelsus
Paracelsus was a German-Swiss Renaissance physician, botanist, alchemist, astrologer, and general occultist....
. He corresponded with Samuel Hartlib
Samuel Hartlib
Samuel Hartlib was a German-British polymath. An active promoter and expert writer in many fields, he was interested in science, medicine, agriculture, politics, and education. He settled in England, where he married and died...
, and established a reputation with his book Anthroposophia Theomagica, a magico-mystical work.
Vaughan was unusual amongst alchemist
Alchemy
Alchemy is an influential philosophical tradition whose early practitioners’ claims to profound powers were known from antiquity. The defining objectives of alchemy are varied; these include the creation of the fabled philosopher's stone possessing powers including the capability of turning base...
s of the time in that he worked closely with his wife Rebecca Vaughan, and valued and even saw as essential, their joint work.
By his own admission, he was a member of the famous Society of Unknown Philosophers. He was responsible for translating into English in 1652 the highly influential tract The Fama Fraternitatis
Fama Fraternitatis
The Fama Fraternitatis Rosae Crucis , or simply the Fama Fraternitatis, is an anonymous Rosicrucian manifesto published in 1614 in Kassel . It was translated into English in 1652 by Thomas Vaughan and published as an appendix of the 77th...
Rosae Crucis an anonymous Rosicrucian manifesto first published in 1614 in Kassel.
Vaughan later became involved with a plan of Dr. Robert Child to form a chemical club, with a laboratory and library, the main aim being to translate and collect chemical works. In the course of litigation with one Edward Bolnest, Vaughan was accused of spending 'most of his time in the study of Natuall Philosophy and Chimicall Phisick'. He is reported as having confessed that he had 'long sought and long missed ... the philosopher's stone'.
It is possible that Thomas Vaughan was the author of tracts published under the pseudonym "Eugenius Philalethes", although other alchemists and natural philosophers could also have been the author. However it seems that Vaughan is the most likely contender.