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Explore the fascinating world of British natural history practices from 1760-1820 in this 49-minute lecture by Dr Edwin Rose, discussing content from his recent book "Reading the World: British Practices of Natural History 1760-1820" (2025). Discover how information was systematically collected, classified, and organized during the age of global empire and revolution, from James Cook's circumnavigations to the exploration of Britain itself. Learn about the crucial but often overlooked roles of Indigenous informants in the process of creating scientific knowledge, including Polynesian societies and individuals like Tupaia who collaborated with Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander to refine botanical descriptions during Cook's first Pacific voyage, as well as Indigenous peoples in the Pacific northwest. Examine the complete journey from specimen collection in the field to the creation of printed books that would travel globally, understanding how descriptions and illustrations were constructed before being transferred into letterpress format. Drawing on collections from the Linnean Society of London, the Natural History Museum, and other institutions, gain insight into the complex networks of knowledge production that shaped our understanding of the natural world during this pivotal period in scientific history.
