The first English translation of the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius remains the work most associated with the scholar Méric Casaubon. Born in 1599 to the prominent classical scholar Isaac Casaubon in Geneva, he eventually settled in the Kingdom of England, where he established a long-standing career as a theologian, writer, and defender of traditional humanist learning.
Academic Foundation and Royal Favor
After receiving his initial education in Sedan, Casaubon moved to England to join his father. He completed his studies at Eton College and Christ Church, Oxford, earning a Doctorate of Divinity in 1636. Early in his career, he authored Pietas contra maledicos patrii Nominis et Religionis Hostes in 1621 to defend his father against Catholic critics. This publication caught the attention of King James I, who granted him a prebendal stall at Canterbury Cathedral in 1628, a position he retained for the remainder of his life.
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During the English Civil War, political upheaval led to the deprivation of his benefices and his removal from his post at Canterbury. He relocated to Oxford during this period of displacement. Despite the political climate, he resisted overtures from Oliver Cromwell to document the era's history from a specific viewpoint. Furthermore, he declined an offer from Queen Christina of Sweden to serve as an inspector of Swedish universities. Following the Restoration, he returned to his ecclesiastical duties in Canterbury.
Theological Writings and Intellectual Debates
Casaubon operated within a contentious intellectual framework, often writing to defend traditional beliefs against emerging natural philosophy and sectarian groups. In his 1655 work, A Treatise Concerning Enthusiasme, he sought to limit the role of supernatural claims. He later analyzed the records of John Dee to frame him as a figure associated with the Devil. By the late 1660s, he continued to produce works such as On Credulity and Incredulity in Things natural, civil and divine, maintaining a firm stance on the existence of spirits and the necessity of traditional learning.
Fast facts
- Born: 1599, Geneva
- Died: 1671, Canterbury
- Education: Eton College and Christ Church, Oxford
- Primary Occupations: Writer, theologian, classical scholar
- Prebendal stall: Canterbury Cathedral, 1628–1671
- Spouse: Frances Harrison
- Notable Works: A Treatise Concerning Enthusiasme, Vindicatio Patris adversus Impostores
Questions readers ask
Did Méric Casaubon use the accent on his first name?
No. While various biographical dictionaries used the spelling Méric, he did not.
What happened to his library after his death?
Many of his books were purchased by Edward Stillingfleet and are now located in Archbishop Marsh's Library in Dublin, while other volumes were moved to the Canterbury Cathedral Library.
