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The Private Diary of Dr. John Dee and The Catalog of His Library of Manuscripts
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.
This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. To ensure a quality reading experience, this work has been proofread and republished using a format that seamlessly blends the original graphical elements with text in an easy-to-read typeface.
We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. To ensure a quality reading experience, this work has been proofread and republished using a format that seamlessly blends the original graphical elements with text in an easy-to-read typeface.
We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
51 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1968
78 people are currently reading
190 people want to read
About the author
John Dee
60 books147 followersJohn Dee was a noted mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, occultist, navigator, imperialist, and consultant to Queen Elizabeth I. He devoted much of his life to the study of alchemy, divination, and Hermetic philosophy.
Dee straddled the worlds of science and magic just as they were becoming distinguishable. One of the most learned men of his age, he had been invited to lecture on advanced algebra at the University of Paris while still in his early twenties. Dee was an ardent promoter of mathematics and a respected astronomer, as well as a leading expert in navigation, having trained many of those who would conduct England's voyages of discovery. In one of several tracts which Dee wrote in the 1580s encouraging British exploratory expeditions in search of the Northwest Passage, he appears to have coined the term "British Empire."
Simultaneously with these efforts, Dee immersed himself in the worlds of magic, astrology, and Hermetic philosophy. He devoted much time and effort in the last thirty years or so of his life to attempting to commune with angels in order to learn the universal language of creation and bring about the pre-apocalyptic unity of mankind. A student of the Renaissance Neo-Platonism of Marsilio Ficino, Dee did not draw distinctions between his mathematical research and his investigations into Hermetic magic, angel summoning and divination. Instead, he considered all of his activities to constitute different facets of the same quest: the search for a transcendent understanding of the divine forms which underlie the visible world, which Dee called "pure verities".
Dee's high status as a scholar also allowed him to play a role in Elizabethan politics. He served as an occasional advisor and tutor to Elizabeth I and nurtured relationships with her ministers, Francis Walsingham and William Cecil. Dee also tutored and enjoyed patronage relationships with Sir Philip Sidney, his uncle, Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, and Edward Dyer. He also enjoyed patronage from Sir Christopher Hatton.
In his lifetime, Dee amassed the largest library in England and one of the largest in Europe.
Dee straddled the worlds of science and magic just as they were becoming distinguishable. One of the most learned men of his age, he had been invited to lecture on advanced algebra at the University of Paris while still in his early twenties. Dee was an ardent promoter of mathematics and a respected astronomer, as well as a leading expert in navigation, having trained many of those who would conduct England's voyages of discovery. In one of several tracts which Dee wrote in the 1580s encouraging British exploratory expeditions in search of the Northwest Passage, he appears to have coined the term "British Empire."
Simultaneously with these efforts, Dee immersed himself in the worlds of magic, astrology, and Hermetic philosophy. He devoted much time and effort in the last thirty years or so of his life to attempting to commune with angels in order to learn the universal language of creation and bring about the pre-apocalyptic unity of mankind. A student of the Renaissance Neo-Platonism of Marsilio Ficino, Dee did not draw distinctions between his mathematical research and his investigations into Hermetic magic, angel summoning and divination. Instead, he considered all of his activities to constitute different facets of the same quest: the search for a transcendent understanding of the divine forms which underlie the visible world, which Dee called "pure verities".
Dee's high status as a scholar also allowed him to play a role in Elizabethan politics. He served as an occasional advisor and tutor to Elizabeth I and nurtured relationships with her ministers, Francis Walsingham and William Cecil. Dee also tutored and enjoyed patronage relationships with Sir Philip Sidney, his uncle, Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, and Edward Dyer. He also enjoyed patronage from Sir Christopher Hatton.
In his lifetime, Dee amassed the largest library in England and one of the largest in Europe.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 14, 2020
Fascinating glimpse into the ordinary life of this extraordinary man, in which notes on the weather, on his children getting into scrapes, and on financial and estate management mix with visits to and by the queen, dreams, and his quest for the philosopher's stone.
September 7, 2017
A fair reproduction of the texts. The combined use of English and Latin, often with Greek characters, makes for an interesting and challenging experience. There are many aspects to the diaries which provide value for those seeking historical notes or clues as to the occult workings of Dee. The answers are elsewhere, but this is the map of Dee's mind that places all else within the context of his life.
The second part, the catalogue of Dee's book collection, offers a fascinating glimpse into what was perhaps the second largest library at the time.
The second part, the catalogue of Dee's book collection, offers a fascinating glimpse into what was perhaps the second largest library at the time.
December 23, 2023
diary of a money mizzer
You might get board but if you have background you can pick out details of important events and associations. Was he obsessed with his health and would you notice everything of moving in certain circles…
You might get board but if you have background you can pick out details of important events and associations. Was he obsessed with his health and would you notice everything of moving in certain circles…
December 12, 2024
3 Stars only because I wanted a better translation into modern English. I managed to "decode" much if it. This is interesting.
April 18, 2018
At best, an historical curiosity, Dee's journal records not his alchemical experiments, but his debts, his trips and visits, his legal wrangles and the birth of various children. He slips in and out of Latin and Greek, which makes for slow going. Delightful details such as how much he owes a servant in soap and candles, or his various meetings with the Queen, who seemed to have passed his door on a regular basis, kept me going.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews