Exploring the Nexus of Science and Literature: Instruments Through Time
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The recent surge of virtual exhibitions in museums, galleries, and educational institutions has opened avenues for individuals from diverse backgrounds to engage with cultural treasures that were previously confined to specific locations. This digital expansion allows broader access, offering enriching experiences to those who may be disabled, financially constrained, or simply pressed for time. It also facilitates the comparison of various cultural artifacts that might never have been physically assembled together, encourages collaboration among institutions, and allows for repeated exploration of unique exhibits. The potential benefits are extensive.
In this discussion, I will highlight how digital technology can prolong the relevance of significant exhibitions worldwide. Specifically, I invite you to revisit an event from sixty years ago that remains as significant and captivating today.
I recommend experiencing this presentation similarly to how you would navigate a traditional museum exhibition: skim through it to grasp its scope, then delve deeper into sections that intrigue you. Feel free to pause for additional research on related topics that may arise during your exploration, and consider saving it for a later review when you have the chance to explore the associated literature more thoroughly.
Introduction to the Exhibition
In December 1963, a remarkable exhibition titled Instrument and Imagination was held in the main halls of Harvard University's Widener Library. This event showcased historical scientific instruments alongside rare literary editions that reflect the profound impact these tools have had on the literary imagination. Curated by David Wade Chambers, it was a collaborative effort of Harvard's History of Science Department, the Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments, and the Harry Elkins Widener Memorial Collection.
The exhibition's central theme was inspired by C. P. Snow (1905–1980), a British scientist and writer renowned for his non-fiction work The Two Cultures, which critiques the intellectual divide he perceived between the scientific and literary communities. Rather than engaging directly in this debate, the Harvard exhibition aimed to illustrate the traditional connections between these two realms.
Displayed within the thirteen cases were original instruments, including sundials, astrolabes, sextants, telescopes, microscopes, air pumps, and various chemical apparatuses, some dating back to the sixteenth century. Many of these artifacts had been owned by prominent Harvard scientists over the centuries.
Among the scientific texts featured was a late 14th-century manuscript of Geoffrey Chaucer's Treatise on the Astrolabe, as well as Hooke's Micrografia (1665), Gilbert's De Magnete (1600), and an early edition of Philosophical Transactions (1665).
For the literary aspect, first editions from authors like Shakespeare, Marvell, Dryden, Pope, Goethe, Dickens, Shelley, Swinburne, Lewis Carroll, Bertolt Brecht, and William Empson were showcased.
Sundials Found in the Bible
The earliest mention of a sundial is found in the Old Testament, specifically in the Latin Vulgate edition published by Johannes Gutenberg in the 1450s. The Bible was opened to the passage discussing the remarkable shadow dial of Ahaz.
The text reveals an event where the Lord caused the sun to move backward as a sign, using the sundial as a reference point. This presents an intriguing irony, showcasing the use of a scientific instrument to validate a supernatural occurrence.
A different account of the sundial appears in the biblical book of Isaiah, displayed in a 1550 edition of the 'Cranmer Bible'. This edition was commissioned by King Henry VIII, who requested a new preface for the "Great" Bible, marking the first authorized English translation.
The shadow of Ahaz dial, scientifically known as a scaphe dial, is mentioned in Isaiah 38:8.
Scaphe dials, believed to be utilized since the time of Aristarchus (3rd century BC), can create the illusion of the shadow moving backward by refracting light through a bowl of water.
The Sundial in Shakespeare’s First Folio
The First Folio (1622–3), the first official compilation of Shakespeare’s plays, is a significant artifact. Compiled by Heminge and Condell, it holds immense historical value due to its rarity and the access it provides to Shakespeare’s original works.
In Henry VI Part III, a sundial utilized by shepherds symbolizes King Henry's character and somber mood as he contrasts his royal responsibilities with the simpler life of a shepherd, yearning for freedom from the weight of time.
The traditional shepherd's dial, represented by an exquisite specimen from Turkey, highlights the method of marking time through the shadow cast by a gnomon.
Other Portable Dials
Contrary to popular belief, humanity's fascination with measuring time predates the precision pocket watch of the 18th century, as evidenced by the variety of portable sundials used in the 17th and early 18th centuries.
Portable dials harness variations in shadow length to measure time without needing alignment with the meridian. The dials showcased represent the diverse range of pocket instruments used until the late 18th century.
The Sundial of Lewis Carroll and John Tenniel
Sundials remain relevant even in the era of precise timekeeping, often serving decorative functions. In the 19th century, Lewis Carroll’s works referenced garden dials, illustrating their familiarity to children in England.
Seven Dials or Six Dials?
John Gay's poem describes the historical area of London known as "Seven Dials," which features a column with seven streets radiating from it, each marked by sundials. The original structure was removed in 1773, yet the name persists.
The New Universe of the Telescope
The telescope has significantly influenced literature since Galileo's Sidereus Nuncius (1610), illustrating the profound impact of scientific observation on artistic imagination.
Scientific Literature and the Microscope
Robert Hooke's Micrographia is pivotal in the history of microscopy, setting a standard for biological illustration. His work parallels Galileo's contributions to telescopic studies.
Mark Twain’s Personal Microscope
Twain embraced new technologies, owning a compound microscope that inspired his fictional tales exploring microscopic worlds.
Afterword
This digital overview of the original Instrument and Imagination exhibition captures only a fraction of the historic artifacts displayed nearly sixty years ago. While it cannot replicate the excitement of witnessing the instruments firsthand, online presentations like this one enhance institutional archives and serve as valuable educational resources.
David Wade Chambers (PhD, Harvard, History of Science, 1969; Post Doctoral Fellowship, Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution; Professorial appointments at universities in the US, Canada, and Australia. Retired in April 2020)
Chambers was responsible for the text of the 1963 exhibition and was recognized as the curator under the guidance of David Wheatland.
Instrument and Imagination also featured in the digital curriculum for one of the earliest fully online Master's Degree Programs initiated in 1995 by D. W. Chambers at Deakin University (Melbourne, Australia) in the Social Studies of Science Program.
For a humorous recounting of a so-called "Eclipse Expedition" from 1963 related to the Harvard Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments, click here.