Friday, September 12, 2008

The Ashmolean, Pt. 2

Here are some more pictures from the Ashmolean's History of Science collection. Some of their stuff just seems really odd and I have a feeling it dates to the time when to practice 'science' often meant one was a gentleman of liesure who collected exotic knicknacks.

Like a dried puffer fish...

or scary metal prostheses.

Science!
There was some wonderful stained glass there as well.

In commemeration of Christopher Wren, who may have designed the Old Ashmolean building where this picture was taken, and certainly designed its neighbors, in addition to designing St Pauls in London, founding the Royal Society for Science and being Professor of astronomy at Oxford.

Here's the view of Broad Street from the Ashmolean. That's Blackwell's Bookshop, where I've been trying to track down cheap used books.And speaking of books, one of my courses is starting next week and I've got some reading to do. And since I think all the running around in the damp has given me a bit of a cold, I think I might try to spend most of today taking it easy since I've already found a used volume of Plato that has 'Apology,' 'Phaedo,' and 'Crito,' everything I need for my first meeting at New College. An afternoon inside drinking some good tea and reading about the death of Socrates aught to cure anybody.Oh, and I won't forget to add another post about the stuff I did yesterday as well.

1 comment:

Talker said...

Thoroughly enjoying the vicarious Oxford experience. Please give all Shimerians-In-Oxford my best,

-Mike