Philip Henry Gosse
Philip Henry Gosse (1810–1888) was an English naturalist and science writer whose books popularized marine life and the saltwater aquarium.
Edmund Gosse: An English poet, critic, and biographer who was the son of Philip Henry Gosse. His memoir Father and Son portrays his upbringing in his father’s strict religious household.
Natural history: The study of organisms and natural objects through observation, description, and classification. Gosse’s books grew from close observation of animals in their habitats.
The Aquarium: A book by Philip Henry Gosse, published in 1854, about keeping and observing marine animals. It presented Gosse’s methods for maintaining a small marine aquarium.
Omphalos: A book by Philip Henry Gosse, published in 1857, arguing that creation included evidence of an unexperienced past. It was Gosse’s most direct attempt to reconcile creation with geological and biological evidence.
Thomas Bell: An English zoologist and surgeon who served as president of the Linnean Society. Bell was a scientific ally who supported Gosse’s election to the Royal Society.
Marine biology: The scientific study of organisms living in marine environments. His field observations and publications helped make marine organisms familiar to general readers.
A Handbook to the Marine Aquarium: A practical guide by Philip Henry Gosse, published in 1855, to collecting and keeping marine organisms. It developed the husbandry advice that helped popularize saltwater aquariums.
On the Origin of Species: Charles Darwin’s 1859 book presenting evolution by natural selection as an explanation for species diversity. Darwin offered a historical process of species change where Gosse defended separately created forms.
Charles Darwin: An English naturalist whose theory of evolution by natural selection transformed biology. Darwin’s account of species change sharply conflicted with Gosse’s defense of creation.
Tide pool: A shallow pool of seawater left among rocks when the tide recedes. Tide pools supplied accessible settings for Gosse’s observations of coastal animals.