Walter Charleton facts for kids
Walter Charleton (born February 2, 1619 – died April 24, 1707) was an English writer and a natural philosopher. A natural philosopher is someone who studies nature and the physical world.
He was very important for bringing ideas from an ancient Greek thinker named Epicurus to England. These ideas were about how the world works and how people should live.
Life of Walter Charleton
Walter Charleton was born in Shepton Mallet in Somerset, England, on February 2, 1619. His father was a church leader there and taught him when he was young.
When Walter was sixteen, he went to Magdalen Hall, Oxford University. He studied hard and, at just 22 years old in 1641, he earned his degree as a doctor (M.D.). In the same year, he became a doctor for King Charles I. The king was in Oxford at that time.
In 1650, Charleton moved to London. He joined the Royal College of Physicians, which is a group for doctors. He was loyal to the king and even became a doctor for King Charles II when he was living away from England. Walter Charleton stayed in London and continued to write.
After King Charles II returned to England, Charleton kept his job as a royal doctor. In 1663, he was one of the first people chosen to be a fellow of the Royal Society. This was a new and important group for scientists and thinkers. Later, in 1676, he also became a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians.
He gave many important talks to other doctors. He was even the president of the College of Physicians in 1689 and 1691. After his time as president, Charleton left London for a while. He later returned and continued to be active in the College of Physicians until he died on April 24, 1707.
Walter Charleton enjoyed reading and writing more than seeing patients. He had several famous friends, including the philosopher Thomas Hobbes.
Walter Charleton's Writings
Walter Charleton wrote many books on different topics. He wrote about theology (the study of religion), natural history (the study of plants and animals), and antiquities (old things and ancient times).
One of his most famous books was Chorea Gigantum, published in 1663. In this book, he tried to prove that Stonehenge, the famous stone circle, was built by the Danes. He thought the Danes used Stonehenge as a meeting place and for crowning their kings. His main idea came from a Danish expert, who told him about similar stone structures in Denmark. The famous poet John Dryden even wrote a poem praising this book!
Charleton also wrote an essay called A Brief Discourse concerning the Different Wits of Men in 1675. This book explored different types of intelligence and how people think.
See also
In Spanish: Walter Charleton para niños
