Natural history, the deliberate observation of the environment, is arguably the oldest science. From purely practical beginnings as a way of finding food and shelter, natural history evolved into the holistic, systematic study of plants, animals, and the landscape. Deep Things out of Darkness chronicles the rise, decline, and ultimate revival of natural history within the realms of science and public discourse. Ecologist John G. T. Anderson focuses his account on the lives and contributions of an eclectic group of men and women, from John Ray, John Muir, Charles Darwin, and Rachel Carson, who endured remarkable hardships and privations in order to learn more about their surroundings. Written in an engaging narrative style and with an extensive bibliography of primary sources, the book charts the journey of the naturalist's endeavor from prehistory to the present, underscoring the need for natural history in an era of dynamic environmental change.

List of Illustrations ix

Preface xi

Acknowledgments xv

Introduction: Adam's Task, Job's Challenge 1

1. From Hunter-Gatherers to Kings of Kings 7

2. A Wonderful Man: Aristotle and Greek Natural History 14

3. The Spoils of an Empire 22

4. An Emperor and His Descendants 30

5. New Worlds 43

6. Ray, Linnaeus, and the Ordering of the World 52

7. Journeys Near and Far 73

8. Before the Origin 91

9. Forms Most Beautiful: Darwin 103

10. The Geography of Nature: Humboldt 128

11. Hearts of Light: Wallace and Bates 146

12. Spoils of Other Empires 173

13. Breadfruit and Icebergs 193

14. Naturalists in New England: Thoreau, Agassiz, and Gray 208

15. From Muir and Alexander to Leopold and Carson 226

16. The Slow Death (and Resurrection) of Natural History 249

Notes 259

References 293

Index 319

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