Introduction

Abstract

Pierre-Louis Baudry des Lozières' essay entitled “A Memoir on Animal Cotton; or, The Insect Fly-Carrier,” was composed at a pivotal moment in the history of the Atlantic world. Through his meticulous description of the insect, Baudry argues the potential consequences of the Haitian Revolution for the propagation of knowledge, virtue, and refinement in the Americas. This introduction begins with an analysis of “Memoir on Animal Cotton” because it sets the stage for questions about the development of scientific and literary culture in the early Americas.