John Aubrey

John Aubrey loved to learn about the past.

He looked at very old stone circles. He made maps of these big stones. He also wrote stories about famous people. He wrote about how they lived.

He liked to study the stars too. He kept many notes to remember things. His work helps us know about old times. It is fun to find old things!

John Aubrey was a man who loved to study the past.

He was an English writer and a scientist. He was a pioneer in archaeology. This means he was one of the first to study old things. He found and mapped many stone circles in southern England. He spent a lot of time studying a place called Avebury.

He also liked to study folklore. This is the study of old stories and traditions.

Aubrey wrote a famous book called "Brief Lives." In this book, he wrote short stories about famous people. He wanted to show how they lived. He often wrote his notes very quickly. He liked to write down exactly what he saw with his own eyes. He even studied the stars and math.

For a long time, some people thought he was just a gossip. They thought his stories were not always true. But in the 1970s, people saw his work in a new way. They saw how much he helped us learn. Today, we know he was a very smart thinker. He helped us understand history and the world.

John Aubrey was a man who looked closely at the world. He lived in England from 1626 to 1697. He was an antiquary, which is a person who studies old things. He was also a natural philosopher and a writer. Aubrey was a pioneer in the field of archaeology. This means he was one of the first people to study ancient sites in a careful way.

He spent much of his time recording old monuments in southern England. He is famous for his work at the Avebury henge monument. He even mapped this large site. Some holes at Stonehenge are named after him. These are called the Aubrey holes.

Aubrey had a very curious way of working. He did not always have a set plan for his studies. He often wrote his notes very quickly. He called his writings "Schediasmata," which means pieces written on the spur of the moment. He liked to use his own eyes to find the truth. If he heard a story, he would write it down. He would also mark his notes with the word "quaere." This is a Latin word that means "go and find out." He wanted to make sure he could check the facts later. He even kept track of where people's portraits and papers were kept.

His life began in a wealthy family in Wiltshire. He was born at Easton Piers near Kington St Michael. For a long time, he was an only child. He studied many subjects at home with a private tutor. He also went to grammar schools in Malmesbury and Blandford Forum. Aubrey went to Trinity College, Oxford, in 1642. However, the English Civil War interrupted his studies there. Later, he became a student at the Middle Temple in 1646. He spent many years living in the countryside. He enjoyed making friends and collecting many books.

Aubrey worked on many different types of projects. He wrote a book called "Remaines of Gentilisme and Judaisme" about old customs. He tried to write histories for the counties of Wiltshire and Surrey. He also began a study of English place-names. In 1663, he became a member of the Royal Society. This was a group for important scientists. He was also interested in math and the stars. Sadly, he lost much of his money to lawsuits. By 1670, he was bankrupt and had to live with friends. He died in June 1697 at the age of 71.

Today, we see Aubrey in a very special way. For a long time, people thought he was just a gossip. They thought he was a strange man who believed everything he heard. They did not think his work was very serious. This changed in the 1970s. Now, people appreciate how much he helped science. His book "Brief Lives" is very important to us. It is a collection of short stories about famous people. He wrote about many people, including William Shakespeare. He helped us understand how to write about a person's life. His many manuscripts are now kept in the Bodleian Library.

John Aubrey was a versatile English scholar who lived from 1626 to 1697. He worked as an antiquary, a person who studies ancient objects and sites. He was also a natural philosopher and a writer. Aubrey is considered a pioneer in archaeology because of his systematic approach to studying old monuments. He spent much of his time recording megalithic sites in southern England. These are large stone structures from prehistoric times. His work helped preserve the history of these ancient places for future generations.

Aubrey used a unique method to gather information about the world. He approached biography much like scientists of his era approached research. He focused on assembling vast amounts of data through direct observation. He often wrote his notes very quickly in the early morning. He called these writings "Schediasmata," which means pieces written on the spur of the moment. He did not always have a perfect plan, but he was very thorough. He frequently used the Latin word "quaere" in his margins. This word means "go and find out," showing his desire to verify facts later.

His research covered many different scientific and historical fields. As an antiquary, he mapped the Avebury henge monument in 1649. He also documented many field monuments across the English countryside. As a folklorist, he collected traditions and beliefs in a work called "Remaines of Gentilisme and Judaisme." He also attempted to study English place-names in "Interpretation of Villare Anglicanum." Furthermore, he had interests in astronomy and applied mathematics. He even became a member of the Royal Society in 1663.

Aubrey's early life was shaped by his family and his education. He was born into an affluent gentry family in Wiltshire. For many years, he was an only child and studied at home. He attended grammar schools in Malmesbury and Blandford Forum. In 1642, he entered Trinity College, Oxford. However, the English Civil War interrupted his university studies. Later, in 1646, he became a student at the Middle Temple. These experiences helped him build connections with many great thinkers of his time.

Despite his many intellectual successes, Aubrey faced significant personal struggles. He was an apolitical Royalist during a time of great political change. He watched as ancient buildings were destroyed during religious and civil conflicts. His financial situation became very difficult due to various lawsuits. By 1670, he had lost his ancestral home, Easton Piers. He was officially bankrupt by this time. For the rest of his life, he relied on the hospitality of friends like Sir James Long. He died in June 1697 at the age of 71.

One of his most famous works is a collection called "Brief Lives." This book consists of short biographical sketches of famous people. It includes thoughts on figures like William Shakespeare and Francis Bacon.

While he wrote about many people, his relationship with fellow scholar Anthony Wood was difficult. Wood eventually published some of Aubrey's work but also criticized his character. For a long time, people viewed Aubrey as an eccentric gossip. They believed he was too credulous, or too ready to believe rumors.

Modern historians view Aubrey in a much more positive light. Since the 1970s, scholars have recognized his true scientific innovation. They see him as a foundational figure in modern biographical writing. His habit of recording what he saw or heard provided a rich record of the 17th century. Many of his important manuscripts are now preserved in the Bodleian Library. His work remains a vital link to understanding the history of English science and culture.