Durant, Will The Age of reason begins a history of European civilization in the period of1558-1648, by Shakespeare, Bacon, Montaigne, Rembrandt, Galileo and Descartes Will Ariel Durant. - New York Simon and Schuster 1959 - xi,113p ill. Subjects--Topical Terms: Europe - History History of civilization. Dewey Class. No.: 930 / D95A