P.H. Gosse in Newfoundland and Lower Canada, 1827–1838

Philip Henry Gosse (1810–1888) was one of the most popular naturalists of the Victorian era. Not only is he recognized as the co-inventor of the marine aquarium, and for initiating the marine biology craze that swept England during the 1850s, but he is remembered for a series of popular natural history books that opened up a new field of scientific literature. Gosse is probably best known for his opposition to evolutionary theory, notably in his book Omphalos (1857), the publication of which was dramatically documented in his son's book Father and Son (1907). Yet what is most remarkable about Gosse is the fact that he was a completely self-educated naturalist. This paper examines his development as a naturalist during his stay in Newfoundland and Lower Canada, over the period 1827–38. In addition the books he produced during these years, namely the unpublished Entomologia Terrae Novae and The Canadian Naturalist, are reassessed and their importance in the development of Canadian science discussed. Finally...