The 'two cultures' debate is half a century old. But the question of how science and literature interact - or fail to do so - goes back to long before that. Reactions to science were already a matter of interest in the seventeenth century. The two cultures' argument emphasized the differences between the scientific and the literary cultures. Yet many writers both in the past and today, have been influenced by science. The purpose of this book is to reflect this continuing interaction via a series of brief extracts, presented with quotations and comments. Each double page explores a particular theme or writer.