Gulielmus Oughtred Anglus (frontispiece from Oughtred's "The Key of the Mathematicks New Forged and Filed," 1647) 1646

Wenceslaus Hollar etched this frontispiece in 1647 for Gulielmus Oughtred's "The Key of the Mathematicks New Forged and Filed." Oughtred is portrayed holding a book, a potent symbol of knowledge and learning. The book motif resonates across centuries, echoing images of philosophers and saints clutching sacred texts. Consider the ancient Greek philosophers with their scrolls, or the evangelists of the medieval period, each bearing the Gospels. The act of holding a book signifies wisdom, authority, and the transmission of ideas. This gesture taps into our collective memory, recalling the countless individuals who have sought enlightenment through the written word. The book, therefore, is not merely an object but a vessel, carrying the weight of human intellect and spiritual yearning. Just as the ancient symbol of the serpent has shed its skin and re-emerged in various guises, so too does the book endure, its pages whispering tales of past and future.