INTRODUCTION: WHY VICTORIAN NATURAL HISTORY?

摘要: VICTORIANS WERE IN LOVE WITH natural history. David Allen describes their passion as a series of crazes – over geology, shells, and ferns, in pteridomania (mania ferns) to cite just very few examples. Lynn Merrill, on the other hand, delineates more comprehensive, cultural romance, one extending many years. Whatever we choose call this love, are still process discovering how deep lasting it was. Like love affairs, was marked at first by blush enthusiasm fascination with otherness. This followed curiosity rage risk self quest know about sometimes, result, ridiculous missteps. Think George Eliot Henry Lewes sloshing around seashore, ill-equipped but determined find out enough write what they were trying capture study. Or recall Mary Kingsley Africa canoe propelled several Congolese, tumbling boat saving her trusted copy Albert Gunther's 1880 Introduction Study Fishes , tenacious desire bring back labeled specimens British Museum Natural Earlier, similarly resolute record birdlife, John Elizabeth Gould globe-trotted extent that put Elizabeth's life growing family risk. And people like explorer/naturalist Thomas Bowdich died fever for fervor history, Bowdich's case he worked detail facts Porto Santo, off coast West Africa. left wife fend herself via own study result Sara Lee's beautifully illustrated Fresh-Water Great Britain (1828). The romance nature certainly cut across class gender barriers. Stonecutter Hugh Miller could lose himself easily geological pursuits Charles Darwin or Sir Lyell Marianne North's plants may well have matched exceeded Kew's famous botanist, Joseph Hooker.