Samuel de Sorbiere
Encyclopedia
Samuel [de] Sorbière was a French
physician and man of letters, a philosopher and translator
, who is best known for his promotion of the works of Thomas Hobbes
and Pierre Gassendi
, in whose view of physics he placed his support, though unable to refute René Descartes
, but who developed a reputation in his own day for a truculent and disputatious nature.
, he published a French translation of Thomas More
's Utopia
in 1643. He arranged for the publication of Hobbes's De Cive
in Amsterdam
in 1647, published a French translation in 1649, published a French translation of Hobbes' De Corpore Politico, or the Elements of Law in 1652, and helped secure a publisher for Hobbes's own Latin translation of Leviathan
in 1668. His collected Lettres et discours de M. de Sorbière, sur diverses matières curieuses, published in Paris, 1660, are imbued with the spirit of compromise, reconciling science and theology and separating science from metaphysics
. His life of Gassendi was prefixed to the collected edition of Gassendi's writings, 1658. Besides Gassendi and Hobbes, he corresponded with Marin Mersenne
, François de La Mothe Le Vayer
and other prominent thinkers of the day.
In 1663-1664, Sorbière visited England
, where he was inducted into the Royal Society
. In 1664 he published an account of his stay, Relation d’un voyage en Angleterre, où sont touchées plusieurs choses, qui regardent l’estat des sciences, et de la religion. (L. Billaine: Paris), in which he offered his comments on how bad the food was, how bad the inns were and imputed to the Royal Society the intention of developing a library. This provoked Thomas Sprat
(then spokesman for and historian of the Society) to publish Observations upon Monsieur de Sorbier's Voyage into England (London: 1665) as a reply to Sorbière's perceived insults against both English culture and the Society in particular. In order to avoid further international controversy, Sorbière was held under arrest for four months in France, and Charles II of England
prohibited any further responses.
Sorbière's conversion from Calvinism
to Catholicism, which opened a career to him, has been interpreted in a political light.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
physician and man of letters, a philosopher and translator
Translation
Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. Whereas interpreting undoubtedly antedates writing, translation began only after the appearance of written literature; there exist partial translations of the Sumerian Epic of...
, who is best known for his promotion of the works of Thomas Hobbes
Thomas Hobbes
Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury , in some older texts Thomas Hobbs of Malmsbury, was an English philosopher, best known today for his work on political philosophy...
and Pierre Gassendi
Pierre Gassendi
Pierre Gassendi was a French philosopher, priest, scientist, astronomer, and mathematician. With a church position in south-east France, he also spent much time in Paris, where he was a leader of a group of free-thinking intellectuals. He was also an active observational scientist, publishing the...
, in whose view of physics he placed his support, though unable to refute René Descartes
René Descartes
René Descartes ; was a French philosopher and writer who spent most of his adult life in the Dutch Republic. He has been dubbed the 'Father of Modern Philosophy', and much subsequent Western philosophy is a response to his writings, which are studied closely to this day...
, but who developed a reputation in his own day for a truculent and disputatious nature.
Life
After relocating to the NetherlandsNetherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, he published a French translation of Thomas More
Thomas More
Sir Thomas More , also known by Catholics as Saint Thomas More, was an English lawyer, social philosopher, author, statesman and noted Renaissance humanist. He was an important councillor to Henry VIII of England and, for three years toward the end of his life, Lord Chancellor...
's Utopia
Utopia (book)
Utopia is a work of fiction by Thomas More published in 1516...
in 1643. He arranged for the publication of Hobbes's De Cive
De Cive
De Cive is a book by Thomas Hobbes published in 1642, and one of his major works.It anticipates the classical republican line of argument in the better-known Leviathan...
in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
in 1647, published a French translation in 1649, published a French translation of Hobbes' De Corpore Politico, or the Elements of Law in 1652, and helped secure a publisher for Hobbes's own Latin translation of Leviathan
Leviathan (book)
Leviathan or The Matter, Forme and Power of a Common Wealth Ecclesiasticall and Civil — commonly called simply Leviathan — is a book written by Thomas Hobbes and published in 1651. Its name derives from the biblical Leviathan...
in 1668. His collected Lettres et discours de M. de Sorbière, sur diverses matières curieuses, published in Paris, 1660, are imbued with the spirit of compromise, reconciling science and theology and separating science from metaphysics
Metaphysics
Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy concerned with explaining the fundamental nature of being and the world, although the term is not easily defined. Traditionally, metaphysics attempts to answer two basic questions in the broadest possible terms:...
. His life of Gassendi was prefixed to the collected edition of Gassendi's writings, 1658. Besides Gassendi and Hobbes, he corresponded with Marin Mersenne
Marin Mersenne
Marin Mersenne, Marin Mersennus or le Père Mersenne was a French theologian, philosopher, mathematician and music theorist, often referred to as the "father of acoustics"...
, François de La Mothe Le Vayer
François de La Mothe Le Vayer
François de La Mothe Le Vayer , was a French writer who was known to use the pseudonym Orosius Tubero...
and other prominent thinkers of the day.
In 1663-1664, Sorbière visited England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, where he was inducted into the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
. In 1664 he published an account of his stay, Relation d’un voyage en Angleterre, où sont touchées plusieurs choses, qui regardent l’estat des sciences, et de la religion. (L. Billaine: Paris), in which he offered his comments on how bad the food was, how bad the inns were and imputed to the Royal Society the intention of developing a library. This provoked Thomas Sprat
Thomas Sprat
Thomas Sprat , English divine, was born at Beaminster, Dorset, and educated at Wadham College, Oxford, where he held a fellowship from 1657 to 1670.Having taken orders he became a prebendary of Lincoln Cathedral in 1660...
(then spokesman for and historian of the Society) to publish Observations upon Monsieur de Sorbier's Voyage into England (London: 1665) as a reply to Sorbière's perceived insults against both English culture and the Society in particular. In order to avoid further international controversy, Sorbière was held under arrest for four months in France, and Charles II of England
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
prohibited any further responses.
Sorbière's conversion from Calvinism
Calvinism
Calvinism is a Protestant theological system and an approach to the Christian life...
to Catholicism, which opened a career to him, has been interpreted in a political light.