John Evelyn: Living for Ingenuity - Hardcover

Darley, Gillian

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0300112270 ISBN 13: 9780300112276

Publisher: Yale University Press, 2006

Synopsis

This new biography of John Evelyn, diarist, scholar, and intellectual virtuoso (1620-1706), is the first account to make full use of his huge unpublished archive, deposited at the British Library in 1995. This crucial material permits a broader and richer picture of Evelyn, his life, and his friendships than permitted by his own celebrated diaries. Gillian Darley provides a rounded portrait of Evelyn's eighty-five years--his family life, his exile in Paris, his interests, and his preoccupations. Evelyn lived through some of England's most tumultuous history, through five reigns, the Civil War, the Restoration, and the Revolution of 1688. He was author or translator of countless publications, tackling an enormous variety of contemporary issues. Both a religious man and a key figure in the Royal Society, he viewed Christianity and the new science as wholly compatible. Evelyn remained endlessly curious and engaged into very old age, and this absorbing biography demonstrates the liveliness of his hugely busy mind.

About this title

Review:

'...a very fine book indeed.' -- Architect's Journal, February 8, 2007

'Her intention is to see beyond the diarist, and in this she succeeds
handsomely.' -- Times Literary Supplement, March 2, 2007

'marvellous...Darley pulls it off with wonderful style and economy.' -- The Sunday Telegraph, December 24, 2006

"The Book is detailed [and] well written...a vital resource for
anyone working on Evelyn in the future."
-- Guy de la Bédoyère, History Today, February 2007

"This is an unusual and much needed study of a true virtuoso,
shedding light both on the man and his times." -- Jenny Uglow, The Sunday Times, January 28, 2007

'...detailed, well-written, and backed up by endnotes that will
make it a vital resource for anyone working on Evelyn.'
-- History Today, February, 2006

'Darley has given Evelyn a new life - fuller, fleshed-out and
multi-faceted.' -- Financial Times Magazine, December 16, 2006

'This is an unusual and much needed study of a true virtuoso,
shedding light both on man and times.' -- The Sunday Times, January 28, 2006

'This will be a source book for anyone writing about Evelyn or his
world in the future.'
-- Literary Review, November 2006

'[Darley] brilliantly evokes the political and intellectual
excitement of the time.'
-- The Spectator, Januray 6, 2007

Synopsis:

This new biography of John Evelyn, diarist, scholar and intellectual virtuoso (1620-1706), is the first account to make full use of Evelyn's huge unpublished archive deposited at the British Library in 1995. This crucial source permits a broader and richer picture of Evelyn, his life and his friendships, than permitted by his own celebrated diaries. Gillian Darley provides a rounded portrait of Evelyn's eighty-five years, his family life first at Sayes Court, Deptford, and later at Wotton, in Surrey, his exile in Paris, his interests and his preoccupations. Evelyn lived through some of England's most tumultuous history, through five reigns, the Civil War, the Restoration and the Revolution of 1688. He was author or translator of countless publications, from pamphlets to large folio editions, on varied contemporary issues. He tackled questions ranging from smoke pollution and the environment, gardening and architecture, to town planning and popular science, libraries and fashion, politics, trade and the visual arts. Evelyn's life held religious devotion at its very centre.

Yet as a key figure in the Royal Society from its foundation, he viewed Christianity and the new science as wholly compatible. He published the first mezzotint, devised schemes for two great Royal hospitals, and created famous gardens. Endlessly curious and engaged into very old age, Evelyn found nothing unworthy of interest, and this absorbing biography demonstrates the liveliness of his hugely busy mind.

About this edition

• Publisher: Yale University Press
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 0300112270
• ISBN 13: 9780300112276
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 416