Leighton Library, Dunblane

Scotland's oldest purpose-built independent library founded in 1687

Leighton Library has a 1632 first edition of a book described as a compilation of all the contemporary zoological knowledge

Added at 07:55 on 14 March 2024

Today, 14 March, is #CelebrateScientistsDay, and #ScienceEducationDay

Dunblane's historic Leighton Library has a 1632 first edition of a book, described as a compilation of all the contemporary zoological knowledge, entitled "Thaumatographia naturalis, in decem classes distincta, in quibus admiranda I Coeli. II Elementorum. III Meteororum. IV Fossilium. V Plantarum. VI Avium. VII Quadrupedum. VIII Exanguium. IX Piscium. X Hominis" by Joannes Jonstonus or John Johnston (1603-1675).

This treatise is arranged in ten sections (with separate titles), which include elements, plants, birds, animals, fish, and fossils.

John Johnston was a Polish scholar, educator and physician. The standard author abbreviation Jonst. is used to indicate this person as the author when citing a botanical name. He was the son of Simon Johnston, who had emigrated to the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth from Scotland. He also earned his first degree at the University of St Andrews. He attended the University of Cambridge, where he studied botany and medicine and the Universities of Frankfurt, Franeker and Leiden, later also receiving a Doctorate from both Leiden and Cambridge universities

< Through the arched window of the Leighton Library you can see the Olympic Gold Postbox of tennis ace Andy Murray #OnThisDay, 15 March, 1792, Reverend Mr Michael Gilfillan, a borrower at Dunblane's Leighton Library borrowed "Encyclopaedia britannica; or, A dictionary of arts, sciences, and miscellaneous literature" >