Raphael Thorius facts for kids

Raphael Thorius M.D. (died 1625) was a doctor from London. He was known as a poet and a humanist. A humanist is someone who studies human culture, history, and philosophy. Raphael Thorius had a background that was both Huguenot (French Protestant) and Flemish (from a region now in Belgium and France).

Life of Raphael Thorius

Early Life and Education

Raphael Thorius was the son of Franciscus Thorius, who was also a doctor. His father was Flemish and lived in Paris, France. He was a Protestant and wrote Latin poems. He also translated poems by a famous French poet named Ronsard.

Raphael Thorius was born in a place called Belle, Flanders. This area is now part of France, but back then it was part of the Southern Netherlands. His family had moved there by 1570.

He studied medicine at Oxford University in England. Later, he earned his M.D. degree from the University of Leyden in the Netherlands.

Medical Career in London

After his studies, Thorius started working as a doctor in London. At first, he didn't have the official license to practice. Because of this, the Royal College of Physicians fined him.

Later, he went to the College for examination. He was officially allowed to practice medicine on December 23, 1596. He lived in a part of London called St. Benet Finck. There, he became a very successful doctor.

Friends and Colleagues

Raphael Thorius was part of a group of Dutch Reformed humanists in London. This group was connected to the Dutch church in London. He was friends with many important people. These included Baldwin Hamey the elder, a well-known doctor.

Other friends included the botanist Lobelius, Nathaniel Baxter, Sir Robert Ayton, Meric Casaubon, Theodore Mayerne, and William Halliday.

Sadly, Raphael Thorius died from the bubonic plague in his own home in London. This happened in the summer of 1625.

His Writings and Poems

Raphael Thorius was also a talented writer. He wrote many poems in Latin and Greek.

Poems About Plague and Tobacco

In 1603, he wrote a Latin poem. In this poem, he urged his wife and family to leave London. He wanted them to escape the plague that was spreading.

In 1610, he wrote a famous poem called Hymnus Tabaci. This poem was about tobacco. It was written in a style called hexameter, which is a type of poetic meter. Thorius later made changes to the poem. It was published in 1625 in Leyden. The first London edition came out in 1627.

In February 1625, Thorius finished another poem. It was called Hyems and had 142 lines. He dedicated this poem to Constantine Hygins. Sometimes, Hyems is printed along with Hymnus Tabaci.

Other Literary Works

A collection of his poems is kept in a manuscript (Sloane MS. 1768). This collection includes poems in Greek and many in Latin.

His poems covered various topics. He wrote about the execution of Sir Walter Ralegh. He also wrote an epitaph (a short text honoring a dead person) for William Camden. There was also a letter in verse to Baudius. He wrote poems about naturalists like Rondeletius and Lobelius.

The manuscript also contains a poem he wrote with Jacob Cool. They wrote this poem for the London Dutch community. It was for the coronation entry of James I of England in 1604.

Family Life

Raphael Thorius had a son named John. He also had other children, but they sadly died when they were young.