Both a major resource for historians of science and an introduction to natural history for the general reader, this study establishes a precedent for investigating natural history as a social phenomenon. Here the author traces the evolution of natural history from the 17th to the early 20th centuries, from the "herbalizings" of apprentice apothecaries to the establishment of national reserves and international societies, as natural history emerged as an organized discipline. The book describes the role of scientific ideas, ...
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Both a major resource for historians of science and an introduction to natural history for the general reader, this study establishes a precedent for investigating natural history as a social phenomenon. Here the author traces the evolution of natural history from the 17th to the early 20th centuries, from the "herbalizings" of apprentice apothecaries to the establishment of national reserves and international societies, as natural history emerged as an organized discipline. The book describes the role of scientific ideas, popular fashion, religious motivations, literary influences, the increase of leisure time and disposable income, and the tendency of like-minded persons to form clubs.
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