Barbut, James (1783), The genera Vermium exemplified by various speciments of the animals contained in the orders of the Intestina et Mollusca Linnaei, drawn from Nature / by James Barbut = Les Genres des Mers exemplifies par divers echantillons des Animaux contenus aux Ordres des Intestins et Mollusques de Linne Defsines d’apres Nature / par Jaques Barbut, James Drixwell, London.
James Barbut published this work in London in 1783 (RB0040), with a second part (sometimes described as a second edition) released in 1788 (RB0127). This smallish attractive 1783 book holds 11 coloured plates of great detail showing representatives of animals from Linnaeus’s Intestina and Mollusca. The title page is shown in English and French, and the full book text follows in English and French throughout.
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| An illustrated plate from James Barbut's 'The genera Vermium exemplified'. |
Barbut was not a wealthy man. He financed his book through a long list of subscribers, including Sir Joseph Banks, President of the Royal Society. Barbut showed a pioneering spirit and optimism for his studies, with powerful quotes throughout his works, such as:
“In the museum of that excellent naturalist the late learned Doctor Solander, was an animals of most beautiful pale violet color, taken in the South Sea…” (Last page of Animal Descriptions, page 94)
“So prolific is nature in all her works, sporting with her amazing powers, over all the creation, and proving the vast source of wisdom, from whence her operations flow” (At end of Preface, page xv)
Pliny the Elder is quoted on the title page - “While I contemplated nature, She wrought in me a persuasion, that I should look upon Nothing as incredible that related to her” Plin. II 3. For many centuries Pliny the Elder (AD 23-79) was seen as the father of modern scientific thinking. He was a Roman author, naturalist and natural philosopher, a naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and friend to Emperor Vespasian. Pliny's last work was the Naturalis Historia (literally "Natural History"), an 37 volume encyclopaedia into which he collected much of the knowledge of his time, covering topics such as botany, zoology, astronomy, geology, and mineralogy.
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| An illustrated plate from James Barbut's 'The genera Vermium exemplified'. |
Barbut was also a huge fan of Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778), the Swedish botanist who formalised binomial nomenclature, the modern system of naming organisms, which is still used today. At times, Barbut’s enthusiasm for his subject matter went from merely embracing the Linnaean system to fanaticism!
“When we consider the station of animals which inhabit the deep, we need not wonder that this part of nature has not bene thoroughly illustrated…. The immortal Linnaeus with infinite judgement, has exhibited an arrangement of the testaceous animals… which is certainly the most scientific method… and though certain persons have taken the liberty to criticize the works of this wonderful man, they are much inferior to him in brilliancy of wit and fidelity of judgement, as a glow worm is to the evening star” (page iii)
Barbut was a well-regarded visual artist of the times. Several of the other illustrators and engravers listed in this work were also quite famous at the time, and this shows in the quality of the illustrations of this volume and the subsequent 2nd edition. Henry Mutlow and Thomas Woodman worked in partnership, being major engravers of banknotes and maps. Mutlow was also Engraver to the King. James Newton was well known for his engraved portraits, genre scenes and landscapes. Newton did several portraits of important members of the Royal Society in the late 1770’s. His most famous was a portrait of Sydney Parkinson, the brilliant young Scottish botanical illustrator and natural history artist who accompanied Sir Joseph Banks and James Cook on the voyage of the HMS Endeavour. Barbut’s portrait is only 1 of 2 known portraits of Parkinson to exist.
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| An illustrated plate from James Barbut's 'The genera Vermium exemplified'. |
This particular volume has leather binding, with the front and back covers embossed with a gold coat of arms called ‘The Society of Writers to the Signet (WS)’.
A second part of Barbut’s work appeared in 1788 entitled The genera Vermium of Linnaeus part 2d : Exemplified by several of the rarest and most elegant subjects in the orders of the Testacea, Lithophyta, and Zoophyta Animalia. The 2nd edition includes an Apology, in which Barbut states that, unable to procure some animals, he has turned to literary sources, and acknowledges the assistance of T. Pennant, Dr. Bohadsch, Seba and Mr J. Clancy, Master in the Royal Navy. The second edition holds 14 plates, all different to the previous work, with all plates being hand coloured quite beautifully.
A concluding quote comes from Barbut himself, who states “let us take a nearer view of them, and our admiration will increase as our ignorance wears away; and the mind shall become illumined, and in the holy exultation of our hearts, we shall cry aloud, O God, how wondrous are thy works!” (page v-vi)
About the Author
James Barbut, sometimes Jacques (1711?-1791?) was a British naturalist and painter, specialising in still lives. He exhibited many paintings at the Royal Academy of Arts in London from 1777-1786, with shells and marine themes reoccurring in his works. Despite his fine work and obvious recognition in his field, there seems to be very little substantial biographical material available about Barbut. His death is reported in The Literary and Biographical Magazine, and British Review, for January 1791. His birth date however, seems to be unverified. Barbut published The Genera Vermium… Intestina et Mollusca in London in 1783. He then went on to publish a second part in 1788, describing more examples from the Genera Vermium: Testacea, Lithophyta, and Zoophyta Animalia.
Suzie Davies, Special Collections Volunteer
James Cook University Library
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Bibliography
Damkaer, David M. (2002). The copepodologist’s cabinet: a biographical and bibliographical history. American Philosophical Society, Philadelphia, p. 96-98.
The Literary and Biographical Magazine, and British Review, for January 1791 (1791). ‘[James Barbut death notice]’, p. 477. Retrieved 4 March 2019, from https://books.google.com.au/books
Stannard, Jerry (2019). ‘Pliny the Elder’, Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., Retrieved 19 June 2019 from https://www.britannica.com/biography/Pliny-the-Elder
Wikipedia contributors. (2018). ‘James Barbut’. In Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 8 August 2018 from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=James_Barbut&oldid=843773843
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