Schultheisz Emil: Traditio Renovata. Tanulmányok a középkor és a reneszánsz orvostudományáról / Orvostörténeti Közlemények – Supplementum 21. (Budapest, 1997)
20. The contacts of the two Dees and Sir Philip Sidney with Hungarian physicians
Z^oo¡ However, we have to touch upon another source of this interest as well, principally on the ground of an excellent paper by István Gál. 7 1 * After having dealt briefly with the activity in Hungary of the British alchemist John Dee and before going on to the life and activity in England of the Hungarian chemist and alchemist Banfi Huniades, we have to mention a Hungarian —English contact from the short period in-between. The central figure of this contact is Sir Philip Sidney who, though having a universal humanist interest, cannot be regarded as a natural scientist. Still, his appearance, in Hungary 2 8 and his friendly relations established here make it indispensable to write about him as well. 2 9 The life of the great poet and humanist is known all too well, so it is quite unnecessary for us to go into its details. On the other hand, few know the fact that in the course of his journeys— 10 years after John Dee's first appearance in Hungary —he too visited what was Hungary's capital at that time and made the acquaintance of outstanding Hungarian scholars, the leaders of the time's intellectual life there. Having witnessed in Paris the Massacre of St. Bartholomew, Sir Philip Sidney continued his studies on the Continent. He made the acquaintance of Hubert Langųet, 3 0 enlightened political writer of the age in Frankfurt am Main. "They were together at Frankfurt for three months or more. At that time Langųet was the representative of the Elector of Saxony. In the spring of 1573 he was ordered to proceed to the Emperor's court in Vienna." 3 1 Sir Philip Sidney followed the outstanding French humanist to Vienna and they both became close friends of the reputed Hungarian physician and historian, János Zsámboky, by his humanist name Joanes Sambucus, 3 2 and of his humanist circle. 3 3 Meeting at Sambucus's house in Singer Strasse were not only the most important Hungarian humanists of the age: Verancsics, Lisztĥÿ, Dudits, Istvánjfy and Purkircher, but also the representatives of the international scientific world: Crato, Clusius, Busbecq, B oñus, Lipsius and others. It was this humanist group, maintaining international contacts, that the young Sidney entered on the side of Langųet. Through the persons of Sambucus and his Hungarian friends Sir Philip Sidney became naturally interested in Hungary. When Carolus Clusius, the greatest botanist of his age, director of the botanic gardens of the Emperor in Vienna, who belonged to Sambucus's friends, 3 4 left for Hungary, Sir Philip Sidney accompanied him. "John Buxton believes that 2 7 Gál, I.: Sir Philip Sidney's guidebook to Hungary. Hungarian Studies in English IV. Debrecen, 1969, 53—64. 2 8 "...gieng 1572 auf Reisen, und war zu Paris, als die Blut-Hochzeit allda gehalten wurde. Er gieng darauf nach Deutschland, Ungarn und Italien..." Jöcher, Chr. G. : Allgemeines Gelehrten Lexicon. IV. Tĥeil. Leipzig, 1751, column 571. 2 9 His letters from Hungarian scholars were sold at an auction in Germany and are now in the USA. Their publication is to be expected in the near future as Mr. I. Gál kindly informed us. 3 0 Jöcher, Chr. G. op. cit. II. Tĥeil, 2268 column; Fortsetzung und Ergänzungen zu Chr. G. Jöchers Allg. Gelehrten Lexikon. Bd. III. Hildesheim, 1961, column 1274. 3 1 Róna, É.: Sir Philip Sidney and Hungary. Annales Universitatis Scientiarum Budapestiensis de Rolando Eötvös nominatae. Sectio Philologica, 1959. 3 2 Gerstinger, H.: Die Briefe des Johannes Sambucus. Wien, 1968, 152—153. 3 3 Bálint—Nagy I.: Purkircher György (1530—1578) pozsonyi orvos élete (The Life of Gy. Purkircher Physician in Pressburg (1530—1578). Orvosi Hetilap 1930, 556. 3 4 Gerstinger, H. op. cit. 16, 22, 150, 161, 162, 206, 231, 232, 279, 280.
