{"product_id":"botanic-garden-by-erasmus-darwin","title":"Botanic Garden by Erasmus Darwin","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe career of Erasmus Darwin (1731-1802) affords an extraordinary glimpse into the intellectual ferment of late-eighteenth- and early-nineteenth-century Britain. As a popular poet, practicing physician, inventor of speaking machines and mechanical birds, essayer of natural history from geology to meteorology, and proponent of an evolutionary theory that inspired his famous grandson Charles, he left a lasting impression on almost every branch of knowledge. His magnum opus, and the synthesis of his myriad interests, is \u003ci\u003eThe Botanic Garden\u003c\/i\u003e (1792) — an epic poem that aims to \"enlist the Imagination under the banner of Science.\" Part I, \u003ci\u003eThe Economy of Vegetation\u003c\/i\u003e, sings the praises of British industry as a dance of supernatural creatures while part II, \u003ci\u003eThe Loves of the Plants\u003c\/i\u003e, wittily employs metaphors of human courtship to describe the reproductive cycles of hundreds of flowers. Darwin supplements his accomplished verses with (often much longer) \"philosophical notes\" that offer his idiosyncratic perspective on the scholarly controversies of the day. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDespite a recent surge of academic interest in Darwin, however, no authoritative critical edition of \u003ci\u003eThe Botanic Garden\u003c\/i\u003e exists, presenting a barrier to further scholarship. This two volume set comprises a complete, meticulously transcribed, reading text — including all the poetry, prose apparatus, and illustrations — along with extensive commentary. Throughout Darwin is situated within contemporary debates about the natural sciences, the \"science of the mind\", aesthetics, sexuality, politics, and spirituality, among other concerns. This set will be of interest to readers across these and related disciplines as the definitive reference edition of \u003ci\u003eThe Botanic Garden\u003c\/i\u003e and due to its efforts to make the work more practically and intellectually accessible to seasoned and novice readers alike\u003ci\u003e.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Taylor \u0026 Francis","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45541935153390,"sku":"9781848935655","price":470.4,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/bookland.com.au\/products\/botanic-garden-by-erasmus-darwin","provider":"Book Land AU","version":"1.0","type":"link"}