author
Edward Newman
1801–1876
A lively 19th-century naturalist, he helped bring insects and other wildlife closer to ordinary readers through popular books and magazines. His work blended close observation with an enthusiasm for sharing the wonders of the natural world.
1 Audiobook
Sphinx Vespiformis: An Essay
by Edward Newman
About the author
Born in Hampstead on May 13, 1801, Edward Newman was an English entomologist, botanist, and writer from a Quaker family with a strong interest in natural history. He left school young to join his father's business, but his fascination with plants and insects stayed with him and shaped the rest of his life.
Newman became an important figure in Victorian natural history through both his own writing and his editorial work. He wrote accessible books including The Grammar of Entomology and A Familiar Introduction to the History of Insects, and he edited The Zoologist, a well-known journal that helped connect professional and amateur naturalists.
He was also involved in scientific societies and in building communities around the study of nature, especially entomology. Remembered for making natural history readable and engaging, he died on June 12, 1876.