1. Science and religion : a natural
history
CHRISTINE LOVE-RODGERS
NEW COLLEGE LIBRARIAN
&
ACADEMIC LIAISON LIBRARIAN, DIVINITY
UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH
Innovative Learning Week

2. Science and religion : a natural history
A display showcasing items from New College
Library‟s Collections on the themes of :
 Man and the Natural World in the Enlightenment
 Science and scripture
 Key thinkers in Science and Religion

3. Several of the items in
this display are drawn
from New College
Library‟s Natural
History Collection, a
Special Collection
numbering about 175
books. This dates from
the early days of New
College, where „Natural
Science‟ was taught until
1934. The collection
covers the mid-
nineteenth century
controversies over
evolution and natural
selection, with geology
particularly well
represented. There is a
focus on Scottish natural
history and on texts by
Scots writers. What is the Natural History
Collection at New College Library?

4. Richard Brookes
(fl. 1721–1763), was
a physician and
author. These
striking animal
illustrations are
taken from Volume
1 of a series
covering the whole
of the natural
world. A bookplate
and stamp marks
the item as
originating from Brookes, R. A new and accurate system of
the United natural history, containing, 1. The history of
Presbyterian quadrupeds …London : 1763. Nat. 109
Library.

5. Sir Isaac Newton
(1642–1727), was a
natural philosopher and
mathematician.
This is volume X from
Samuel Horsley‟s (1733-
1806) five volume
edition of Newton‟s
complete works. Isaaci
Newton Opera quae
Exstant Omnia and
printed in 1779
It came from the
Edinburgh Theological
Library. The endpapers
show doodles and drafts Isaaci Newtoni opera quae exstant omnia /
of mathematical figures.
commentariis illustrabat Samuel Horsley
… London 1779. Sir Isaac Newton
NAT 166-167

6. The geologist James
Hutton (1726–1797),was
born in Edinburgh, and
his life spanned the
greatest years of the
Scottish Enlightenment.
This is the first two
volume edition of this
work, which laid the
foundation of the modern
science of geology.
While Hutton was a
theist, believing that a
beneficent deity had
designed the geological
operations of the
earth, his theories were
controversial because they
still implicitly rejected the
biblical account of James Hutton / Theory of the
creation. Earth. 1795
MH 3/2

7. Joseph Priestley,
(1733–1804), was a
theologian and natural
philosopher, sometime
Dissenting minister and
schoolmaster.
A major figure of the
British Enlightenment, he
is remembered today for
his scientific work, such as
the identification of
oxygen, but in his own day
he was known as a voice
for liberal reform of
government, education,
and theology
This volume was
bequeathed to Free
Church College Library by
George Waddell of Joseph Priestley
Rashiehill who died on the
21st of May 1846.
The history and present state of
electricity 1794 Nat 170

8. Edward Wells, (1667–
1727) was a Church of
England clergyman and
educationist.
This image shows a fold
out engraved illustration
of the 'Inside of the Ark„
Wells has attempted to
provide a rational plan
of how all the animals
required could be fitted
into Noah‟s Ark. The
text on adjoining pages
details the precise
numbers and nature of
the species considered to
be housed in each area.
Wells, Edward. An historical
geography of the Old and New
Testament … 1809. Nat. 87.

9. In 1840 Hugh Miller
(1802–
1856), geologist, evangelic
al journalist, and writer
became editor of The
Witness, a new paper
founded to support the
congregational
independence of the Free
Church of Scotland. It was
in this paper that the first
of his Old Red Sandstone
papers appeared that
made him famous.
A bookplate marks this
volume as presented to the
Protesting Free Church in
1843, making it one of the
very first donations to the
Hugh Miller. The Old Red
new Free Church library – Sandstone, 1841.
New College Library.
Nat 45. Hand coloured illustration.

10. Hugh Miller became the
leading figure of popular
geology in the 1840s and
1850s.
His unimpeachable
Christian credentials
helped make geology
acceptable as a morally
and physically improving
outdoor pursuit.
This volume, with its
frontispiece illustration,
signed Hugh Miller, has a
bookplate inscribed
Natural Science Class –
Elder Bequest, 1869. It
originally came from the
collection that supported
the teaching of Natural
Science at New College in Hugh Miller. Testimony of the
the nineteenth century.
Rocks. TR/D5.

11. Thomas Henry
Huxley, (1825–
1895), was a biologist
who developed theories
for the evolution of man
and apes from a
common ancestor.
Man’s Place in Nature
was originally published
in 1863, in between
Darwin‟s Origin of
Species (1859) and
Descent of Man (1871).
Huxley‟s anatomical
theories contibuted to
the Victorian science
and scripture debate.
Thomas Henry Huxley
Man’s Place in Nature – 1877 ed.
C4/a1

12. Charles Kingsley
(1819–1875), novelist
and Church of England
clergyman, was
fascinated by natural
history, particularly
marine biology.
This volume contains
essays such as “On Bio-
Geology” , “Thoughts in
a Gravel-Pit “ and “The
Natural Theology of the
Future”
Often controversially
outspoken on social and
religious issues, he
supported Darwinian
Charles Kingsley.
theories of evolution. Scientific Lectures & Essays– 1885.
Nat. 146

13. Arthur Eddington (1882–
1944) was a theoretical
physicist and astrophysicist
Beginning his career in
stellar research, Eddington
led an expedition in May
1919 to observe the solar
eclipse and test one of the
predictions of Einstein's
bold new theory of
gravitation . His success
made Eddington a public
figure overnight, and he
went on to write highly
successful popular scientific
books.
Eddington was a member of
the Society of Friends
throughout his life, and his
religious beliefs shaped the
direction of his scientific Arthur Eddington. Science and the
work which asserted the
primacy of mind or unseen world. London : G. Allen
consciousness over quantum
uncertainty. and Unwin, 1929. C3/b5

14.  New College Library Special
Accessing our Collections
collections
Request Special
Collections items by
completing Special
Collections slips –
available at Helpdesk
Staff fetch Special
Collections items from
closed stack areas –
please help us by
notifying your request
in advance
Pencils only in Special
Collections reading area
Photocopying may be
restricted

15. Christine Love-Rodgers
New College Librarian
Academic Liaison Librarian -Divinity
Christine.Love-Rodgers@ed.ac.uk
Twitter :
NewCollegeLibrarian@cloverodgers
http://www.ed.ac.uk/is/new-college-library
http://newcollegelibrarian.wordpress.com/