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An abundantly rich and vivid resource for anyone interested in the flora, fauna, medicine and scientific knowledge in early colonial America.
At the crossroads of faith and science, Cotton Mather-Puritan minister, political figure and fellow of the Royal Society-pursued a rigorous inquiry into the natural world. Between 1712 and 1724, he sent over 80 letters to the Royal Society, engaging with the same intellectual network as luminaries such as Isaac Newton, Edmond Halley and Robert Boyle. His Curiosa Americana letters document New England's flora and fauna, unusual meteorological events, medical advancements and transatlantic scientific discourse, revealing Mather as a pivotal figure in the early Enlightenment, deeply engaged in the era's defining debates.
This volume presents the first complete, scholarly edition of Curiosa Americana, offering transcriptions and annotations that illuminate Mather's contributions to natural philosophy. His observations-ranging from smallpox inoculation and germ theory to "monstrous" births and marine volcanoes-capture the dynamic interplay between science, religion and colonial identity. Accompanied by a substantial introduction, the collection situates Mather within the broader networks of the early modern Republic of Letters, challenging long-held assumptions about the intellectual landscape of colonial America. Essential reading for scholars of early modern science, intellectual history, and Atlantic studies, this work restores Mather's letters to their rightful place in the history of transatlantic knowledge production.
Contents
List of Illustrations
List of Abbreviations
Acknowledgements
Curiosa Americana: General Introduction
A Life in God, A Life in Science
The Letters and Their Arrangement
Series 1 (November 1712)
Series 2 (December 1713-June 1714)
Series 3 (July-September 1716)
Series 4 (July 1717-January1717/18)
Series 5 (February 1720)
Series 6 (post-December 1, 1721)
Series 7 (May-August 1723)
Series 8 (September-December 1724)
"Curiosa Americana" Reception, Scholarly and Popular
Mather's Library
Mather's Published Sources
Contemporary Oral and Scribal Sources
Conclusion
Chronology
Note on the Text and Editorial Principles
"Curiosa Americana"
First Series
1.1. Describing 'Biblia Americana' & Giant Fossils. November 17, 1712
1.2. On American Plants & Indian Cures. November 18, 1712
1.3. On American Birds. November 19, 1712
1.4. On Antipathies & the Force of the Imagination. November 20, 1712
1.5. Monstrous Births. November 21, 1712
1.6. Remedies Revealed in Dreams. November 22, 1712
1.7. Remarkable Recoveries from Wounds. November 24, 1712
1.8. Astronomical Observations. November 24, 1712
1.9. Rainbows & Parhelia. November 25, 1712
1.10. Joseph Beacon's Vision or Dream. November 26, 1712
1.11. On the Rattlesnake. November 27, 1712
1.12. Thunder & Lightning. November 28, 1712
1.13. Cases of Longevity & Fruitfulness. November 29, 1712
Second Series
2.1. A Woollen Snow. December 1, 1713
2.2. Surprising Influences of the Moon. 1714
2.3. A Monster. June 21, 1714
2.4. Containing the Description of the Moose Deere. June 21, 1714
2.5. The Pigeons. June 1714
2.6. Long Fasting. June 1714
2.7. A Strange Sisterhood. June 1714
2.8. Uncommon Ideots. June 1714
2.9. An Unusual Discharge. June 1714
2.10. An Ear Strangely Molested. June 1714
Third Series
3.1. Monstrous Impregnations. July 2, 1716
3.2. A Monstrous Calf. July 3, 1716
3.3. The Nidification of Pigeons. July 4, 1716
3.4. A Triton. July 5, 1716
3.5. A Serpent Securely Handled. July 6, 1716
3.6. A Strange Mischief to the Eyes. July 7, 1716
3.7. Strength of Imagination. July 9, 1716
3.8. The Stone Mistaken. July 10, 1716
3.10. Curiosities of the Small Pox. July 12, 1716
3.11. The Fagiana. July 13, 1716
3.12. Curiosa Botanica. September 24, 1716
3.13. A Singular Limestone. September 24, 1716
Fourth Series
4.1. Fossils. July 25, 1717
4.2. An Eclipse Observed. October 1, 1717
4.3. An horrid Snow. December 10, 1717
4.4. A Prodigious Worm. December 12, 1716 or January 12, 1717
Fifth Series
5.2. The Quadrature of the Circle. February 1720
5.3. The Whale. February 1720
5.9. A Water-Dove. February 1720
5.10. The Locusts. February 1720
5.11. A Voice from Heaven. The Aurora Borealis. February 1720
5.13. The World Alarum'd. A Surprizing Relation, Of a New Burning-Island.
June 10, 1721
Sixth Series
6.1. An Account of the Method & Success of Inoculating the Small-Pox,
in Boston in New-England. September 7, 1721
6.2. Variolæ triumphatæ: or, The Small-Pox Inoculated. 1721
6.3. A Further Account, of the Method and Success of the Small-Pox
Inoculated. 1721
6.4. Curiosa Variolarum. March 10, 1721/22
6.5. Nishmath-Chajim; The Probable Seat and General Cure of all Diseases.
1721
6.6. The Seventh Son Examined; with a Touch Upon the Kings Evil. 1721
6.11. Ambergrise discovered and determined. 1721
Seventh Series
7.0. Letter to Dr. James Jurin, May 21, 1723
7.1. The Case of the Small-pox Inoculated, further cleared. May 21, 1723
7.2. A Monstrous Dragon. June 3, 1723
7.3. A New Rattlesnake. June 4, 1723
7.4. Carcharias Mirabilis. June 5, 1723
7.5. Mysterious Rains. June 6, 1723
7.6. The Land Sail'd Upon. June 7, 1723
7.7. Subterranea. June 8, 1723
7.8. A Singular Case. June 10, 1723
7.9. Letter of Introduction for Isaac Greenwood. June 10, 1723
7.10. Letter of Introduction for John Perkins. August 3, 1723
Eighth Series
8.1. Climatical Influences. October 1, 1724
8.2. An Amphisbæna. September 21, 1724
8.3. An Unusual Vomit. September 22, 1724
8.4. A Tide & Storm of Uncommon Circumstances. September 23, 1724
8.5. A Moveable Rock. September 24, 1724
8.6. A New-found-Land. September 25, 1724
8.7. More and Strange Effects of Thunder. September 26, 1724
8.8. A Rare Discharge of Bullets. September 28, 1724
8.9. Nature at Work with a Needle. September 29, 1724
8.10. Uncommon Dentition. September 30, 1724
8.11. Angel of Bethesda Advertisement. October 5, 1724
8.12. Introduction for Zabdiel Boylston. December 15, 1724
Appendices
1. Manuscript Descriptions and Locations
2. Cotton Mather to Richard Waller, December 1, 1712
3. Richard Waller to Cotton Mather, July 22, 1713
4. Richard Waller to Cotton Mather, December 23, 1713
5. Richard Waller, Notes on Curiosa, First Series
6. An Extract of several Letters from Cotton Mather, D.D. to John Woodward, M.D.
and Richard Waller, June 30, 1714
7. Cotton Mather to Richard Waller, March 10, 1715
8. John Woodward to Cotton Mather, April 3, 1721
9. James Jurin to Cotton Mather, December 16, 1723
10. James Jurin to Cotton Mather, February 22, 1723/24
11. James Jurin to Cotton Mather, May 20, 1726
12. Cotton Mather to John Woodward, undated (c. July 1716)
Bibliography
Index
