As many readers know, I admire the contributions to Natural
History made by Philip Henry Gosse and have read facsimiles of many of his
books. I have also had the privilege of looking through First Editions held in
Libraries and Museums and have seen some of the artwork used for illustrations in
both books and lectures [1]. Plates by Gosse impress with their
vibrancy and accuracy and they enhance the enthusiastic descriptions of organisms
and their environment that he gives in the text. Gosse studied organisms in the
field, in his aquarium, and under the microscope, and did much to promote these three
approaches in the study of Natural History. One can imagine the impact of his publications in the
mid-nineteenth century and it is not surprising that Gould described Gosse as
the "David Attenborough of his day". In addition to popularising what
was to become a passion for some Victorians, he also made important contributions
to science and to scientific debate.
Last week, I received an e-mail from a friend who is reducing
the number of books in his library and, knowing of my interest in Gosse, asked
if I would like First Editions of A
Naturalist's Rambles on the Devonshire Coast and Actinologia Britannica. I was astonished and said "yes"
immediately, as these two books contain some of Gosse's best illustrations [2]. They
have now arrived and are both in excellent condition, with the plates in their
original state (see below).
Why do these books from over 150 years ago so impress me?
The answer comes partly from my admiration for Gosse as one of the best observers, and
communicators, of Natural History, but I also react against the image of the man
portrayed by his son, Edmund, in Father
and Son [3], that stresses the rรดle that religion played in his life and which Edmund
found stifling. I like to see fair play and, while not
disguising my difficulties with Henry's profound Christian beliefs, I think
that he deserves to be recognised in a very positive light.
[2] R. B. Freeman
and Douglas Wertheimer (1980) Philip
Henry Gosse: A Bibliography. Folkestone, Wm. Dawson & Sons.
[3] Edmund
Gosse (1907) Father and Son: A Study of
Two Temperaments. London, Heinemann.
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