Microcosmography
or, pieces of the world
discovered in Essays
and Characters
by
John Earle

This edition of the 78 characters which form John Earle’s Microcosmography follows the text of 1628, with modernized spelling; a later text (with a few explanatory notes) is available in Character Writings of the Seventeenth Century (1891) at Project Gutenberg. For other imitations of Theophrastus, see the Characters of Virtues and Vices (1608) by Joseph Hall, Bishop of Exeter, and Overbury’s Characters (1615).

It is possible to link to individual characters by clicking on the desired title. (It is also possible to skip the table of contents and begin reading immediately.)

1. A Child
2. A Young Raw Preacher
3. A Grave Divine
4. A Meer Dull Physician
5. An Alderman
6. A Discontented Man
7. An Antiquary
8. A Younger Brother
9. A Meer Formal Man
10. A Church-Papist
11. A Self-Conceited Man
12. A Too Idly Reserved Man
13. A Tavern
14. A Shark
15. A Carrier
16. A Young Man
17. An Old College Butler
18. An Upstart Country Knight
19. An Idle Gallant
20. A Constable
21. A Downright Scholar
22. A Plain Country Fellow
23. A Player
24. A Detractor
25. A Young Gentleman of the University
26. A Weak Man
27. A Tobacco-Seller
28. A Pot Poet
29. A Plausible Man
30. A Bowl-Alley
31. The World’s Wise Man
32. A Surgeon
33. A Contemplative Man
34. A She Precise Hypocrite
35. A Sceptic in Religion
36. An Attorney
37. A Partial Man
38. A Trumpeter
39. A Vulgar-Spirited Man
40. A Plodding Student
41. Paul’s Walk
42. A Cook
43. A Bold Forward Man
44. A Baker
45. A Pretender to Learning
46. A Herald
47. The Common Singing-Men in Cathedral Churches
48. A Shopkeeper
49. A Blunt Man
50. A Handsome Hostess
51. A Critic
52. A Sergeant or Catchpole
53. A University Dun
54. A Stayed Man
55. A Modest Man
56. A Meer Empty Wit
57. A Drunkard
58. A Prison
59. A Serving-Man
60. An Insolent Man
61. Acquaintance
62. A Mere Complimental Man
63. A Poor Fiddler
64. A Meddling Ma