Geographical Thought of Bernhardus Varenius – UGC NET – Notes

Varenius, the son of the court preacher to the duke of Brunswick, spent his early years at Uelzen, the residence of the duke.

Between 1640 and 1642, he studied at the Gymnasium of Hamburg, where he received his early academic training.

He later attended the University of Königsberg from 1643 to 1645, followed by studies at the University of Leiden from 1645 to 1649.

During his university education, Varenius devoted himself to mathematics, medicine, and natural history.

He earned his medical degree from Leiden in 1649 and subsequently settled in Amsterdam with the intention of practicing medicine.

From statements in his writings, it is clear that Varenius believed he had little future in Hannover, which had suffered severe destruction during the Thirty Years’ War.

While living in Amsterdam, Varenius was influenced by recent discoveries made by Dutch navigators such as Abel Tasman and Willem Schouten.

His friendship with Willem Blaeu and other geographers further encouraged him to shift his focus from medicine to geography, despite the financial difficulties this caused him.

Varenius was a prolific writer, although two of his earliest works are believed to be lost or unpublished.

One of these early works was an academic treatise on motion according to Aristotle, written in Hamburg in 1642.

Another was a table of universal history, written in Amsterdam in 1649, which is also no longer extant.

His first major published works were Descriptio regni Japoniae and Tractatus de religione Japoniae, both belonging to the field of special geography.

These works are often considered as a single book because they were published together under the title Descriptio regni Japoniae et Siam, cum brevi informatione de diversis omnium religionibus in Amsterdam in 1649.

The volume actually consisted of five separate works, including Varenius’ description of Japan, a Latin translation of Jodocus Schouten’s account of Siam, Varenius’ discourse on religion in Japan, excerpts from Leo Africanus on religion in Africa, and a short Dissertatio de Rebuspublica in genere.

Varenius’ most famous and influential work was Geographia generalis, published in Amsterdam in 1650.

This work established a systematic framework for physical geography that could incorporate new discoveries as they emerged.

Geographia generalis became the standard textbook of geography for more than a century.

Varenius believed that the truth of geographical propositions could be established in three ways.

The first was through geometrical, arithmetical, and trigonometrical methods.

The second was through astronomical principles and theorems.

The third was through experience, either personal observation or the accounts of others.

He maintained that in special geography, only celestial properties could be proven scientifically, while other information depended on experience.

Geographia generalis was divided into three main sections.

In the first section, Varenius examined the mathematical facts of the Earth, including its shape, size, motions, and measurements.

The second section focused on the influence of the sun, stars, climate, and seasons on the Earth, as well as variations in apparent time across different locations.

In the third section, he discussed the divisions of Earth’s surface and laid down the principles of what is now known as regional geography.

Each region, according to Varenius, should be described using terrestrial information, such as longitude, terrain, and fertility.

Regions should also be classified using celestial information, including distance from the pole, climate, and the length of day and night.

Finally, regions should be analyzed through human information, covering the status of inhabitants, their arts, trade, virtues, vices, customs, language, and religion.

Varenius’ work remained the most authoritative treatise on scientific and comparative geography for a long time.

Scholars such as Alexander von Humboldt were deeply impressed by his work.

Isaac Newton later revised portions of Geographia generalis for an English edition.

In 1647, Varenius took up employment as a private tutor in Amsterdam.

At that time, Amsterdam was a major commercial and trading center.

Dutch traders were actively involved in distant regions such as Southeast Asia, the Pacific Ocean islands, and Japan.

These traders were eager to learn about geographical conditions, trade products, cities, ports, and the socio-cultural life of the people they traded with.

Responding to this demand, Varenius published a book in 1649 titled Descriptio regni Laponiae et Siam, further strengthening his contribution to geographical literature.