Annotated Bibliography

Barton, R. (1998)

‘Huxley, Lubbock, and Half a Dozen Others: Professionals and gentlemen in the formation of the X Club, 1851–1864’. (Isis 89 3): 410–44

Excellent recent study of Hooker’s relationships with the other gentlemen who made up the X Club.

Bellon, Richard (2003)

'"The Great Question in Agitation": George Bentham and the origin of species', Archives of Natural History, 30, no. 2: 282–297

Bellon's essay is primarily about Hooker's close friend, George Bentham, but is invaluable for Hooker scholars.

Brockway, L. (1979)

Science and Colonial Expansion: the role of the British Royal Botanic Gardens. (New York, Academic Press)

Once considered the standard work on the imperial significance of Kew, but now dated in its approach. Drayton gives a richer and much more sohisticated account.

Browne, J. (1980)

‘Darwin’s Botanical Arithmetic and the “Principle of Divergence”, 1854–1858’. (Journal of the History of Biology 13 1 (Spring)): 53–89

Browne, J. (1983)

The Secular Ark: studies in the history of biogeography. (New Haven, Yale University Press)

A pioneering study of the history of distribution studies, particularly in the nineteenth century.

Bynum, W. F. (1984)

‘Charles Lyell’s Antiquity of Man and Its Critics’. (Journal of the History of Biology 17 2): 153–87

Camerini, J. (1997)

‘Remains of the day: Early Victorians in the field’. In Lightman (ed.): 354–77

Excellent introduction to the cultures of collecting.

Caudill, E. (1994)

‘The bishop-eaters: The publicity campaign for Darwin and “On the origin of species”‘. Journal of the History of Ideas.

Drayton, R. H. (2000)

Nature’s Government: Science, Imperial Britain and the ‘Improvement’ of the World. (New Haven, Yale University Press)

Drayton’s recent book (based on his excellent Yale PhD thesis) is the best standard introduction to the imperial importance of botanic gardens. It’s especially strong on the relationship between Kew and the economic and political conditions in Britain.

Forsdyke, Donald (forthcoming)

The Origin of Species, Revisited A Victorian who Anticipated Modern Developments in Darwin’s Theory. (McGill-Queen’s University Press.

Forsdyke’s recent book emphasises the contributions of Darwin’s research associate, George Romanes, and William Bateson. However, there is also considerable discussion of Hooker’s contributions. The book should be available in autumn 2001.

Hull, D. L. (1973), (ed.)

Darwin and his Critics: the Reception of Darwin’s Theory of Evolution by the Scientific Community.(Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Press, 1973)

Useful collection of reviews.

Lightman, B. (1997), (ed.)

Victorian Science in Context.(Chicago, University of Chicago Press, 1997)

An edited collection of essays on various aspects of Victorian science. Superb.

Jardine, N., J. Secord, et al. (1996), (eds.)

Cultures of Natural History.(Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1996)

The best single-volume introduction to the diversity of topics that fall within the history of natural history. (However, I should perhaps declare a conflict of interest: it was edited by my PhD supervisor and adviser.)

Kinch, M. P. (1980)

‘Geographical Distribution and the Origin of Life: The Development of Early Nineteenth-Century Explanations’. (Journal of the History of Biology 13 1): 91–119

Rehbock, P. (1983)

The Philosophical naturalists: themes in early Nineteenth-Century British biology. (Madison, Wisconsin, University of Wisconsin Press)

Important study of the importance to naturalists like Hooker of being seen as “philosophical” by their colleagues in the more prestigious physical sciences. As is often the case with pioneering studies, it is now somewhat in need of updating, but remains the most useful starting point for understanding these debates.

Stevens, P. F. (1994)

The Development of Biological Systematics: Antoine-Laurent de Jussieu, nature, and the natural system. (New York, Columbia University Press)

The best introduction to the history of taxonomy available.

Strick, J. E. (2000)

Sparks of Life: Darwinism and the Victorian Debates over Spontaneous Generation. (Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Press)