George Forster: traveller, ethnographer, artist, revolutionary

JOHN GREEN is fascinated by the account of a life that journeys through the revolutionary upheavals, political and scientific, of the late 18th century

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THIS fascinating biography of Georg Forster (1754-1794), the German-born geographer, naturalist, ethnologist, journalist and revolutionary, is a natural corollary to Wulf’s biography of Alexander von Humboldt, a student and friend of Forster’s, which became a bestseller. Undoubtedly this should become one too.

At an early age, Forster accompanied his father on scientific expeditions, including James Cook’s second voyage to the Pacific. His report of that journey, A Voyage Round the World, contributed significantly to our knowledge of the people of Polynesia. As a result, Forster was admitted to the Royal Society and came to be considered one of the founders of modern scientific travel literature.

Wulf’s writing is vibrant and teases out the most interesting aspects of Forster’s life. She also pays due attention to his great humanitarianism and respect for other peoples – certainly far from the norm at the time, with colonial mentalities and racism endemic. He was horrified the way an indigenous man was murdered in cold blood by one of Cook’s crew.

In his opinion all human beings had the same abilities with regard to reason, feelings and imagination, but these basic ingredients were used in different ways and in different environments, which gave rise to different cultures and civilisations. He argued strongly against the racist ideas of Immanuel Kant.

Forster was a central figure of the German Enlightenment and corresponded with most of its adherents. His ideas, travelogues and personality influenced Alexander von Humboldt, one of the great scientists of the 19th century.

After spending some time in Russia, the family settled in England in 1766, where his father took up a teaching position at Warrington Academy, succeeding Joseph Priestley.

The Forsters then moved back to London in 1770, where his father cultivated scientific contacts and was invited to join James Cook’s second expedition to the Pacific. George joined him as draughtsman.

HMS Resolution left Plymouth in 1772. The ship’s route led via the Atlantic, through the Indian Ocean to the islands of Polynesia. During the three-year journey, they went further south than anybody before them, almost discovering Antarctica.

Supervised by his father, George undertook studies of the zoology and botany of the southern seas, mostly by drawing and painting animals and plants. He also learned the languages of the Polynesian islands. His reports on the people there are well regarded today, as they describe the inhabitants with empathy, understanding and largely devoid of Western or Christian bias.

Forster developed a sophisticated picture of the societies of the South Pacific islands, and described social structures and religions, ascribing this diversity to the difference in living conditions. His main focus was always on the people he encountered: their behaviour, customs, habits, religions and forms of social organisation.

The journey was also rich in scientific results. However, the relationship between the Forsters and Cook became problematic. Forster released an unofficial account of their travels in 1777, which appeared six weeks before the official publication, and earned the author renown. Even today it remains one of the most important journey descriptions ever written. It was not only scientifically informative, but also an exciting and easy read.

George later moved to Paris, where he held talks with Benjamin Franklin and he became an avid supporter of the French Revolution. Based on a decree by the Holy Roman Emperor, Forster was declared an outlaw and a prize of 100 ducats was put on his head. He remained in Paris, even though the revolution had already entered its bloody phase. In contrast to many other original supporters of the revolution, Forster did not turn back from his revolutionary ideals even under the pressure of the terror. He viewed these events as a force of nature that could not be slowed.

When the French took control of Mainz in 1792, Forster played a leading role in the Mainz Republic and joined others in establishing a Jacobin Club. From early 1793 he was involved in organizing the Mainz Republic. This was the first republic located on German soil and constituted on the principles of democracy. Forster became vice-president of the administration and in 1793, as a delegate of the Republic, was sent to Paris. The Republic existed only until the retreat of French troops in July 1793.

Before the climax of the terror, Forster died of a rheumatic illness in his small apartment at Rue des Moulins on January 10 1794, at the age of only 39. After his death, his works were largely forgotten. However, in the 1960s, interest in Forster was newly engendered in the GDR, where he was viewed as an important, progressive historical figure. The GDR research station in Antarctica was named after him.  

Recent scholarship has reassessed Forster’s significance as a traveller, ethnographer and revolutionary, situating his work within broader debates on the Enlightenment, colonialism and race. Andrea Wulf’s excellent biography will undoubtedly bolster that reassessment.

She has drawn on Forster’s publications and correspondence to present his life as a journey through the intellectual and political upheavals of the late 18th century.  Highly recommended.

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