THE PRESIDENT OF
THE HAKLUYT SOCIETY (2002 - 2008)
about the Linnaeus apostles...

The great Linnaeus himself was a considerable traveller in his early years and it is entirely appropriate that, three hundred years after his birth, he should be commemorated by a splendid set of travel works comprising eleven books arranged as eight volumes which record the expeditions of his ‘apostles’ - men who sought to emulate and extend the achievement of their mentor. For their part, the IK Foundation and their backers are to be congratulated on following the example of the Swedish royal family and the Swedish Academy 250 years before in supporting this scientific project.

The publishing programme is well underway and already much valuable material has been made available. Some of the Swedish travellers of the later eighteenth century who figure in the Apostles series are comparatively little known today, especially in the English speaking world. Others are remembered but their writings have hitherto not been easily accessible even where English translations exist. In some cases, materials have been drawn from manuscript sources and are here made available for the first time in any published form. Rothman’s adventures in Africa and Rolander’s investigations in Suriname fall into this category. So do Pehr Kalm’s observations on parts of southern England in 1746, which are worthy of the attention of historians in Britain. Other work was published in the eighteenth century but now appears in English for the first time. This includes the extraordinarily detailed and systematic account of the Russian Empire of Catherine the Great by JP Falck and the travels in Spain and Venezuela made by the ‘apostle’ who was closest to Linnaeus himself, Pehr Löfling. Some of the apostles became associated with British enterprises. Adam Afzelius suffered in Sierra Leone but resolutely continued his plant collecting. Daniel Solander was on Cook’s first expedition with Sir Joseph Banks and became his secretary and close associate. Such men were observant, humane and sensible. Nowhere is this more evident than in the works of Anders Sparrman and Carl Peter Thunberg. Sparrman’s long sojourn in South Africa followed by his joining Cook’s second expedition resulted in the two volume work of 1786 reprinted in this series. Thunberg also travelled in South Africa before proceeding to South East Asia and then Japan. Four volumes published in 1795 are now to be found in one attractive book. Admirable products of the European Enlightenment, these two men and the others featured certainly deserve the renewed attention which this project will bring them. Their observations embrace not only natural history but also, very often, political, economic and social conditions. The opportunity which the Apostles series now provides for scholars to tap into this great resource of knowledge and information is to be welcomed but so, too, is the reading pleasure which much of the material here presented affords us. One eagerly awaits the Introductory volume and the Encyclopædia with its index, and biographical and bibliographical information which will yet further enhance the value of the collection.

The Editor-in-Chief, Lars Hansen, and his colleagues deserve our warm thanks for their work. Moreover, the books themselves are beautifully printed and bound. It is a joy to handle them. One is proud to possess such handsome volumes and to know that one has something worthwhile to pass on to one’s children and grandchildren.

Roy Bridges
Emeritus Professor of History, University of
Aberdeen, United Kingdom

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THE PRESIDENT OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDON
about the series...

The consolidation into one series of volumes of the texts that cover the discoveries and travels of Linnaeus’ pupils, ‘The Apostles’, has given the biological sciences a major tool to understand how one man, Linnaeus, could see, name, and classify the whole of the 18th century’s world of nature.

Without these stalwart men, Linnaeus’ reach and understanding would have been severely limited and natural history may never have grown into the many facets of the biological sciences we know today. Without his dedication and application to name the whole living world known at that time, using the binomial system, the simplest of tools to accurately identify any living entity, we would not have had the major step forward this gave to having a universal system that all scientists could apply. It allowed for a methodology that could continuously be added to, and even more importantly used to ensure that it is possible to discuss all the relevant properties of all the millions of living organisms we know now. The quality of research, writing and editorial control provides a most pleasing and helpful understanding of those great men’s own dedication and application, in often very harsh conditions, to explore and explain the wonders and importance of the natural world that they discovered. The scholarship evident in the preparation of these volumes and their content will provide a major stimulus to dig deeper and study further the work and lives of these great explorers. This publishing triumph is a fitting major beacon to end the Tercentenary celebrations of their inspiring professor’s birth.

Professor David F. Cutler PLS
United Kingdom

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THE LINNAEAN TRADITION

This magnificent and beautiful edition is a veritable landmark in the field of the history of science and learning. It is a masterpiece of scholarly publishing and a worthy representative of the Linnaean tradition, prepared with great care, enthusiasm and expertise. In the middle of the 18th century Sweden was one of the leading nations in the field of science, surpassed only by England and France. For the first time this well-edited corpus makes the discoveries of the disciples of Linnnaeus available in a reliable and concentrated way. In addition, it supports further research with the help of an introductory volume, indexes and an exhaustive bibliography.

Professor Esko Häkli, Former National Librarian of Finland

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"These stunningly beautiful books transport the reader to the edges of the known world, when everything was new, exciting and undiscovered..."

Professor Eric Warrant
University of Lund, Sweden
Director, The Solander Program

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The decision by IK Foundation & Company to publish English translations of the accounts written in Swedish or Latin by the apostles of Carl Linnaeus of their journeys in faraway countries, together with scholarly commentaries on these, is a cultural achievement on the grand scale. Parts of the material, such as Daniel Rolander’s report from Suriname, have never been published before. Both in the scientific and the publishing aspects of the project, high standards of quality have been set. The volumes will be of great and lasting value. Riksbankens Jubileumsfond has regarded it as a duty to contribute as a financier to making these rich resources accessible to future Linnaean scholars and to the interested public at large.

Göran Blomqvist,
CEO Riksbankens Jubileumsfond, Sweden

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The Linnaeus Apostles project is a magnificent
scholarly achievement, a vast window to
historic, scientific endeavour.

Author Ione Rudner,
Cape Town, South Africa

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'The Linnaeus Apostles series is blessing us by being in English translation...'

Professor Emeritus William A. Weber,
University of Colorado Museum, USA

DISTRIBUTION & SHIPPING
Distribution of the separate volumes has started and will continue until all the volumes have been printed. All Journals (Volumes Two to Seven) have now been published. Volume One (THE INTRODUCTION) is still in preparation and will go in print in June/July 2010. Finally Volume Eight (THE ENCYCLOPÆDIA) includes a search index and a bibliography etc., which is planned to be released in late 2010. They will be dispatched immediately to all customers/readers. 

The book parcels can only be delivered to a street or house address, not to a Post Box or c/o address. Signature will be required on delivery. The size and weight (26 kg.) of the books means that safe and good quality transport to certain countries may be relatively expensive, but we will do our best to keep such costs as low as possible. The volumes will be packed and shipped in a safe and special constructed box, 2 "green boxes" for a full set of 8 volumes, 11 books.

ORDERING THE FULL SET - 8 Volumes containing in all 11 Books. Total shipping charge is calculated based on the weight of your order and your geographical location. SHIPPING CHARGE per set for The Linnaeus Apostles - Global Science & Adventure (8 Volumes, 11 Books) EC Europe £70.00 Rest of Europe, North America & Australia £120.00 Rest of the World £185.00 Purchase The Standard Edition, 8 Volumes, 11 Books: Price: £590.00 + Shipping Quantity: Purchase the Standard Edition - 8 Volumes, 11 Books with TAPA samples: (Tapa samples to go with Volume 5, you can order two genuine handmade Tapa cloth samples (white and patterned) from Tonga to be glued in at the specified place in the Volume. Instructions will be included. £50.00/set) Price: £640.00 + Shipping Quantity: