Philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau always had an interest in botany. His knowledge and passion for plants were captured in a series of letters he wrote to a friend between 1771 and 1773.
Rousseau wrote a series of eight letters to a friend who was teaching her four-year old daughter botany. In Letter One, he describes the parts of a flower. Letter Two is filled with descriptions about the characteristics of the Cruciferae (Brassicaceae; Mustard family). In Letter Three, Rousseau urges his friend to learn only from “the book of nature” and then continues to describe the plants in the pea family (Fabaceae). Letter Four is dedicated to the Laminaceae (Mint family) and the Scrophulariaceae (Figwort family). The Umbelliferae (Apiaceae; Carrot family) are the focus of Rousseau’s writing in Letter Five. The Asteraceae (Sunflower family) are described in Letter Six. Rousseau’s commentary about fruit trees (Letter Seven) and pressed plant collections (Letter Eight) close this series of educational and enlightening letters.
Rousseau’s letters were so educational, in fact, they were circulated in the intellectual salons that were popular at this time. Botany was very fashionable back then and bound collections of Rousseau’s letters were in high demand. His letters were first published in a collection of his work in 1782, five years after his death. The letters were then published separately in 1800 and 1802. In 1805, sixty-five color plates by Pierre Joseph Redouté were added to Rousseau’s collection of letters, which had by then become known as La Botanique. The book above, Pure Curiosity: Botanical Letters and Notes towards a Dictionary of Botanical Terms is a facsimile based on the third edition of La Botanique (1821).
When Rousseau died, he left behind drafts of what appears to be a dictionary of botanical terms. He was writing a dictionary so the layman could make sense of the terminology used by botanists. A portion of this dictionary is included in Pure Curiosity. Botanical terms are arranged alphabetically in English, with the French words used by Rousseau in parentheses. Redouté’s work is also featured in this section of the book.
Pure Curiosity is still available on the used book market and comes with a strong recommendation for anyone with an interest in botanical art history or an interest in informal science education.
Literature Cited
Rousseau, Jean-Jacques. 1712-1778. Pure Curiosity. Translation of La botanique de J.J. Rousseau. Copyright © 1979 by The Felix Gluck Press Limited.
ISBN: 0-448-22920-X
Related
- Lessons for a Young Botanist
- Redouté: The Man Who Painted Flowers (childrens book)
ArtPlantae Today 