Withering-type botanical microscope, 1780
The “Withering-type Microscope” is named for its inventor, Dr. William Withering (1741-1799), an English physician and botanist who graduated with a degree in medicine 1766 in Edinburgh. Inspired by the taxonomical work and systematic classification of Carl Linnæus (1707-1778), Withering (1776) applied the Linnaean taxonomical system of classification to British plants in a seminal, two volume work, A Botanical arrangement of all the vegetables naturally growing in the British Isles. The earliest reference to a small botanical microscope of Withering’s design appeared in the first edition of this book. There, Withering indicated this microscope was developed for field dissections of flowers and other plant parts. While there is no surviving example of this exact design, close relatives of this type do exist, made either completely of brass or of ivory with brass pillars. Ivory models can be tentatively dated to 1776-1785, as by 1787 a newer model with a hollowed stage in an all-brass configuration already predominated. In turn, it was preceded by the brief appearance of a transitional brass model but with solid stage of ivory or horn (seen here). This version is extremely rare and must have been produced in very small numbers. By 1787 all these varieties were not recorded anymore in the literature.
Withering-type botanical microscope, 1780
The “Withering-type Microscope” is named for its inventor, Dr. William Withering (1741-1799), an English physician and botanist who graduated with a degree in medicine 1766 in Edinburgh. Inspired by the taxonomical work and systematic classification of Carl Linnæus (1707-1778), Withering (1776) applied the Linnaean taxonomical system of classification to British plants in a seminal, two volume work, A Botanical arrangement of all the vegetables naturally growing in the British Isles. The earliest reference to a small botanical microscope of Withering’s design appeared in the first edition of this book. There, Withering indicated this microscope was developed for field dissections of flowers and other plant parts. While there is no surviving example of this exact design, close relatives of this type do exist, made either completely of brass or of ivory with brass pillars. Ivory models can be tentatively dated to 1776-1785, as by 1787 a newer model with a hollowed stage in an all-brass configuration already predominated. In turn, it was preceded by the brief appearance of a transitional brass model but with solid stage of ivory or horn (seen here). This version is extremely rare and must have been produced in very small numbers. By 1787 all these varieties were not recorded anymore in the literature.
References: SML: A242712; Goren 2014.
References: SML: A242712; Goren 2014.
Prof. Yuval Goren's Collection of the History of the Microscope
Chapter 25: The Seaferring Microscope
Aquatic Microscope by Robert Banks, ~1825
The firm of Robert Banks (or Bancks as it is sometimes spelled on some microscopes) traded at 440/441 Strand in London between 1795 and 1830. They were entitled instrument maker to the Prince of Wales and signed their instruments as both Banks and Bancks.
The "aquatic microscope" is the type originally designed for Abraham Trembley and later for John Ellis by John Cuff in 1752, in order to follow the activity of small water organisms held on a watch glass on a microscope stage. The design became popular and various forms of this design were made in England and Europe. Robert Banks was highly regarded as a distinguished maker of these.
The same type of Banks microscope as the example seen here, was used by Robert Brown (1773-1858) in his pioneering studies of cell nuclei and Brownian motion, by Sir William Jackson Hooker (1785-1865) in writing his Musci Exotici (1820), and by George Bentham (1800-1884) for his plant dissections and taxonomy. Per Robert Brown's advise, young Charles Darwin (1809-1882) bought a similar microscope from Banks (signed Bancks) to take on the voyage of HMS Beagle to South America, the Galapagos Islands and around the world. Between 1846 and 1854 Darwin employed this microscope for his study of the biology and taxonomy of barnacles, after which he suggested some improvements to the design to the microscope makers Smith and Beck.
YG-14-005
© Microscope History all rights reserved
© Microscope History all rights reserved
Charles Darwin's microscope of HMS Beagle voyage
(Source: https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/36f314_48a605b775054b8595d8997119ad3449.pdf)
Robert Brown's microscope in the Kew Gardens
(Source: https://www.anbg.gov.au/botanical-history/microscope-robert-brown.html)
Charles Darwin's five-year voyage on the HMS Beagle from 1831 to 1836, under the command of Captain Robert FitzRoy, was a significant journey primarily focused on surveying South America. During this time, Darwin served as a gentleman naturalist, collecting specimens and making detailed observations in both geology and biology. His work laid the groundwork for his theory of evolution by natural selection, especially through the insights he gained from studying diverse finches and tortoises in the Galápagos Islands.
Influenced by the geology of Charles Lyell, Darwin's extensive fieldwork led him to question the concept of static species. He observed variations in species that were linked to their local environments and the passage of time. This culminated in his famous book, "On the Origin of Species."
The main mission of the HMS Beagle was to chart coastlines, particularly around South America, for the British Empire. Darwin joined the expedition as an unpaid naturalist and spent considerable time exploring inland areas while the ship conducted its surveys. He collected vast amounts of fossils, plants, and animals. During his time in South America, Darwin witnessed geological upheavals and earthquakes and found marine fossils high in the Andes, which supported Lyell's theories about the dynamic nature of the Earth.
© Microscope History all rights reserved
In 2014, I had the opportunity to visit Down House in Kent, the home of Charles Darwin, with permission from English Heritage. During my visit, I examined his original microscopes (see photo on the left). In this collection, the original microscope by Banks/Bancks, which Darwin used aboard the HMS Beagle, is marked "B." The microscope produced by Smith and Beck, based on Darwin's experiences and comments after his journey, is marked "C." It is interesting to note that while the original Banks/Bancks microscope is relatively common and is found in some museums and auction websites, Smith and Beck's improved version is quite rare.