ESHS/HSS Annual Meeting

Brongniart, Cuvier, and Geoffroy: Rivalry, Friendship, and Debate in Early Nineteenth-Century Natural History

• In Event: Revelations in Natural History

English Abstract

In 1788, Alexandre Brongniart and François Silvestre founded the Société Philomathique alongside a small group of naturalists from among their close acquaintance. From his youth, Brongniart had studied with some of the best savants of his time, including Lavoisier. In 1795, after the French Revolution, Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire and Georges Cuvier (newly arrived in Paris) were inducted into the Société. From the beginning of their friendship, Brongniart and Cuvier were evenly matched in their passion for and knowledge of natural history, while Geoffroy’s unexpected ascent to the chair of zoology at the Muséum placed the three men on relatively equal scientific and social standing, if Geoffroy had a strong professional advantage. Geoffroy was a relative novice when he received the post as assistant demonstrator to Daubenton in 1793. Brongniart had trained extensively for this post and had also assisted Daubenton. In 2008, several letters from Brongniart to his father were made publicly available. These shed light on Brongniart’s initial astonishment and frustration at Geoffroy’s fortunate placement. However, Geoffroy was soon a key member of Brongniart’s scientific circles. The early relationships of Brongniart, Cuvier, and Geoffroy, and the role of the Société Philomathique in their shared practices of natural history shaped the responses of the men to one another when nineteenth-century debates between Cuvier and Geoffroy on the transformation of species became heated and antagonistic. Brongniart has often been criticized for his lack of intervention. Importantly, I show that Brongniart’s actions during these infamous exchanges were influenced by his position as colleague of both men, and not, as is commonly argued, a retreat from his longstanding relationships. Additionally, I discuss Cuvier’s position as one that favoured the careful process of science over presumptive leaps in the development of new theoretical claims.

Author

• Julia Carr-Trebelhorn, University of Cincinnati