Seeing the Word

The British polymath John Dee (1527-1609) is one of the most fascinating personalities of the early modern era. A notorious magician and alchemist, as well as a respected scientist and mathematician at the court of Elizabeth I, he challenges our traditional view of the Renaissance occultist. This study offers a new perspective on Dee’s occult philosophy. Situating his works in the context of early modern notions of “natural” languages, it examines Dee’s continuous search for a language which cou