Letters on the Elements of Botany
Addressed to a Lady
Published on 27. July 2017
Book
Paperback/Softback
562 pages
978-1-108-07672-2 (ISBN)
Description
Among the many interests of Swiss philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-78) was botany. These letters 'addressed to a lady' came to the attention of Thomas Martyn, professor of botany at the University of Cambridge, who thought that 'if [they were] translated into English, they might be of use to such ... as wished to amuse themselves with natural history'. However, when the translation was done, he 'perceived that the foundation only being laid by the ingenious author, it could be of little service, without raising the superstructure'. Martyn's 1785 publication, of which we have reissued the 1791 third edition, adds notes and corrections to Rousseau's original thirty-two letters which explain the structure of plants and their ordering in the Linnaean system. Martyn urges the reader not to study it 'in the easy chair at home': it 'can be no use but to such as have a plant in their hand'.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Cambridge
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Dimensions
Height: 216 mm
Width: 140 mm
Thickness: 33 mm
Weight
783 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-108-07672-2 (9781108076722)
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Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Jean-Jacques Rousseau, born on June 28, 1712, in Geneva, was a philosopher, writer, and composer who shaped Enlightenment thought and modern political theory. Raised by his father and aunt after his mother's death, Rousseau's early life was marked by wanderings and diverse experiences. At 15, he left Geneva, converted to Catholicism, and worked various jobs while exploring his intellectual interests.In Paris, Rousseau befriended Denis Diderot and contributed to the Encyclopédie, gaining recognition with his 1750 essay, Discourse on the Arts and Sciences. He argued that advancements in the arts and sciences had led to moral decay, introducing his critical stance on societal progress. His later works, including The Social Contract and Discourse on Inequality, challenged traditional authority and championed the idea of popular sovereignty.Rousseau's novel Émile presented groundbreaking views on education, emphasizing natural development and experiential learning. His radical ideas often brought him into conflict with authorities, resulting in bans and exile. Despite these challenges, Rousseau's philosophy inspired the French Revolution and continues to influence modern political and educational thought.
Content
Translator's preface; Introduction; 1. The true use of botany; 2. Double flowers to be avoided; 3. Botany not to be studied by books; 4. Reason why two stamens are shorter than the other four in cruciform flowers; 5. Glands very small; 6. The umbellate and other natural tribes of plants; 7. Botany a study of curiosity only; 8. The manner how to form a hortus siccus; 9. The skill of a botanist; 10. Genera and species; 11. Explanation of generic and specific characters of plants; 12. The examination of plants; 13. Corn and grasses; 14. Other plants of the third class; 15. The fourth class; 16. The fifth class; 17. Nectary; 18. Hexandria monogynia; 19. Heptandria; 20. The eleventh class; 21. Class Icosandria; 22. Fourteenth class, Didynamia; 23. Fifteenth class, Tetradynamia; 24. Plants to be examined at different seasons; 25. Class seventeenth, Diadelphia; 26. Class Syngenesia; 27. The twentieth class; 28. The twenty-first class; 29. The twenty-second class; 30. The twenty-third class; 31. The different forms and structure of the nectary; 32. The twenty-fourth class; Index of the English names of plants; Index of Latin names; Natural tribes, or orders of plants; Index of terms.