Edward Daniel Clarke (1769-1822) and the collecting of classical antiquities
This thesis describes the collecting activities of Clarke, travel writer and Professor of Mineralogy. It argues that disciplinary changes led to failure to understand Clarke's activities. By attempting to understand him his proper intellectual context rather than dismissing him as eccentric, we attain a fuller comprehension of the history of collecting and archaeology. The first chapter examines Clarke's education, challenging the usefulness of the standard biography by William Otter. Otter's text is constrained by the teleological conventions of biography into presenting Clarke's early life as prefiguring his later achievements. Despite the mathematical curriculum of late eighteenth century Cambridge, the university afforded opportunities to pursue antiquarian activity. Clarke also travelled as a private tutor; thus the Grand Tour served a generally overlooked function in enabling the educated but impoverished to travel. The second and third chapters examine Clarke's 1799-1802 travels. Clarke's collecting of antiquities was part of a wider collecting project including botanical and mineralogical material and non-physical data. Returning Clarke's collecting to its original context helps dispel the myth of
Edgar, K.
Edward Daniel Clarke (1769-1822) and the collecting of classical antiquities. This thesis describes the collecting activities of Clarke, travel writer and Professor of Mineralogy. It argues that disciplinary changes led to failure to understand Clarke's activities. By attempting to understand him his proper intellectual context rather than dismissing him as eccentric, we attain a fuller comprehension of the history of collecting and archaeology. The first chapter examines Clarke's education, challenging the usefulness of the standard biography by William Otter. Otter's text is constrained by the teleological conventions of biography into presenting Clarke's early life as prefiguring his later achievements. Despite the mathematical curriculum of late eighteenth century Cambridge, the university afforded opportunities to pursue antiquarian activity. Clarke also travelled as a private tutor; thus the Grand Tour served a generally overlooked function in enabling the educated but impoverished to travel. The second and third chapters examine Clarke's 1799-1802 travels. Clarke's collecting of antiquities was part of a wider collecting project including botanical and mineralogical material and non-physical data. Returning Clarke's collecting to its original context helps dispel the myth of
edward collect classical_antiquity describes collect activity travel writer professor mineralogy argues disciplinary change lead failure activity attempt proper intellectual_context rather dismiss attain fuller comprehension history collect archaeology first_examine education challenge usefulness standard biography william text constrain teleological convention biography present early_life late achievement despite mathematical curriculum late eighteenth_century cambridge_university afford opportunity pursue antiquarian activity also travel private tutor thus grand tour serve generally overlook function enable educate travel second_third examine travel collect antiquity part_wider collect project include botanical mineralogical material non physical data collect original context help dispel myth