fiefoe

Richard Holmes's preface promises an exciting read ahead.

Captain James Cook's first round-the-world expedition aboard the Endeavour, begun in 1768, and Charles Darwin's voyage to the Galapagos islands aboard the Beagle, begun in 1831. This is the time I have called the Age of Wonder, and with any luck we have not yet quite outgrown it.
On Joseph Wright's painting: The calm, glowing light of reason is surrounded by the intense, psychological chiaroscuro associated with Georges de la Tour.
The psychology of collecting, ordering and naming specimens could also been seen as a from of mental colonising and empire-building.

The figure in the center:

Banks being kept from botanical field trips, confined to the ship: "You have heard of the French man laying swaddled in linen between two of his Mistresses both naked using every possible means to excite desire. But you have never heard of a tantalized wretch who has born his situation with less patience than I have done mine.
Banks felt... that since islanders' houses were 'entirely without walls' it was not quite the moment to 'put their politeness to every test.'
'a snug lodging'
"Nor shall we cease to increase them as long as Luxuries can be invented and riches found for the purchase of them; and how soon these luxuries degenerate into necessaries..."
'sharp but stately rebuke' from Lord Sandwich: But it may not be improper to set you right in one particular which you possibly may have misunderstood, and that is that you suppose the ships to have been fitted out for your use, which I own I by no means apprehend to be the case."
The daring young botanist and explorer was slowly turning into a landlocked collector and administrator.
The poet Coleridge.. refers to him as a reliable source of new exotic and experimental drugs such as... cannabis.

"Age of Wonder"