The Digital Ark: Early Modern Collections of Curiosities in England and Scotland, 1580-1700
John Finch (1626 - 1682)
Anatomist and ambassador of England to the Ottoman Empire. Finch had two stints as instructor in anatomy at Padua, in 1659-60 and 1664-6. According to Wilkin (citing Wood's Athenae Oxonienses as his source):Younger brother to Sir Heneage Finch (afterwards Earl of Nottingham). He studied physic early, travelled into Italy, and became doctor of his faculty at Padua: of which university be was afterwards chosen syndic. He was made English consul at Padua, and his statue in marble was set up there, "in contemplation and memory of bis excellent government." The great duke made him the public professor at Pisa. On the restoration of Charles II. he revisited his native country, and was presented by Lord Clarendon to the king, who knighted him, June 10, 1661. In 1665 he was sent resident for Charles II. with the great duke of Tuscany. He subsequently became ambassador at Constantinople for some years. He died 18th Nov. 1682. (1. 91)Dictionary of National Biography entry: https://doi.org/10.1093/ref:odnb/9439 Other biography: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Finch_(ambassador) Relevant locations: Workplace or place of business Padua University, Padua
Relationships: John Finch was a brother of Heneage Finch (1628-1689)
John Finch was a member of Royal Society (-)
Linked print sources: as Mentioned or referenced by - Between Anatomy and Politics: John Finch and Italy, 1649-71.
as Mentioned or referenced by - Sir Thomas Browne's Works, Including His Life and Correspondence.
References in Documents:
[MS. SLOAN. 1868]
Sir,
I received two letters from you yesterday, and
baue met with a great many more at
intend not to come by
bad to crosse the
pion
staying much longer when I haue seen the practise in the hos
pitalls.
The anatomy is done; it hath giuen mee great satis
faction, not in any thing that bath been said upon the parts,
but in seeing the
I think I shall neuer see any thing like it againe. 'Twas
young
rity
of
esteem all ouer
much pains as most now liuing. Hee hath tables of the
veines, nerues, and arteries, fiue times more exact then are
described in any author. I am particularly obliged to him,
hee doing mee the fauour of showing mee the
chyliductus thoracicus, ductus Whartoni
in a dog, which wee got for the purpose. Hee is a great
honourer of you, sir, which ·made him willing to doe me a
kindnesse, though hee be nice in showing any thing in ana
tomy.
My design as to my journey is to goe directly into
I find opportunity, to
yet gone. I haue laide aside my thoughts of seeing
many
to understand Dutch also, and haue but a smattering of all
three. I think I shall haue
at least some part of the way. There is heere an academy;
those of it call themselves
about the last commet, which I read in print. Hee afirms
that there was at first obserued a large parallax by obserua
tion
from diuers places, but by some instances in his discourse
I perceive he understands not the business, and names places
where it was seen different five degrees, but in such a part of
the heauen where tis impossible for it to bee seen, by obser
uations
made from such parts of the earth. But I hope
some astronomer will write of it; the relation of it would bee
mighty pleasing to mee, haueing made some obseruation of
its motion my self at
saw, and which I think goes beyond
judgment, is in the refectory of the
cloth four times as big as your
Your obediant Sonne,