Much of what we know about the Early Modern era comes from the writings of that time. With the proliferation of the printing press and a somewhat more literate population, much more literature of this period is preserved (as opposed to earlier times). Whether from a novel, play, travel journal or scientific paper, these writings add greatly to our knowledge of our history.
an influential Chinese scholar of the early Qing Dynasty, most famous for proving that the Old Text chapters of the Confucian classic Book of Documents were forgeries. He also made observations and theories about the motions of the moon and the planets.
an English Playwright, most famous for his two Tragedies. They were printed for Matthew Law, and were sold at his shop in Paul's Churchyard near St. Augustines Gate at the sign of the Fox, 1601.
an English novelist known for her huge output, now mostly out of print. She began writing in 1848, and published during her long life about 160 works, chiefly novels.
an English lawyer, merchant and diarist. Yonge is now best remembered as an author: his well-known diaries are valuable historical material, especially four volumes now in the British Museum.
an English heraldic writer. He wrote a compilation on heraldry and genealogy that appeared in folio (London, 1640) under the title The Union of Honour.
a Japanese poet and painter of the Edo period. Along with Matsuo Bash? and Kobayashi Issa, Buson is considered among the greatest poets of the Edo Period.
an English poet, best remembered for Night-Thoughts. Young is said to have been a brilliant talker. Although Night Thoughts is long and disconnected, it abounds in brilliant isolated passages. Its success was enormous. It was translated into French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish, Welsh and Magyar.
a Scottish Presbyterian minister and theologian, resident in England and a member of the Westminster Assembly. He was the major author of the Smectymnuus group of leading Puritan churchmen. He was also Master of Jesus College, Cambridge, and is known as the tutor to J...
a Scottish Presbyterian minister and theologian, resident in England and a member of the Westminster Assembly. He was the major author of the Smectymnuus group of leading Puritan churchmen. He was also Master of Jesus College, Cambridge, and is known as the tutor to John Milton from the age of about ten.
an English polymath and physician. Young made notable scientific contributions to the fields of vision, light, solid mechanics, energy, physiology, language, musical harmony, and Egyptology.
a well-known poet, scholar, artist, and gastronome of the Qing Dynasty. Throughout his lifetime, Yuan Mei travelled extensively throughout southern China, visiting Huangshan, Guilin, Tiantai, Wuyi and other famous mountains, and kept journal entries, representative of which is the You Guilin zhu shan ji.
a French writer of the Renaissance. His posthumous collection of tales mixed with verse, Le Printemps, enjoyed an important publishing success, with 33 editions published from 1572 to 1635.
