Abstract

‘Dutchman, Lazier than any other race of mankind’: Joseph Banks in the Dutch Republic. In 1773, the British scientist and explorer Joseph Banks (1743-1820) visited the Dutch Republic for a short holiday. By request of his sister Sarah, Banks kept a journal in which he wrote about his experiences in the Republic. These descriptions are remarkably negative about the Dutch, their culture and their scientific knowledge. It also gives a good insight in Banks’s personality. This article tries to answer the question why Banks is having such a bad time in the Dutch Republic. The article contains a short summary of the journal, an account of Banks’s earlier journey to Batavia with James Cook and a comparative analysis of other British travel accounts of the Dutch Republic in the eighteenth century.

Full Text

Published Version (Free)

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.