The Life of John Duncan, Scotch Weaver and Botanist, William Jolly, 1883

The Life of John Duncan, Scotch Weaver and Botanist, written by William Jolly and first published in 1883, is a warm and detailed biography of a humble but remarkable man. John Duncan, born in Aberdeenshire in 1794, was a self-taught weaver who, despite limited formal education and modest means, developed a deep love and lifelong commitment to the study of botany. The book traces his journey from rural hardship to quiet intellectual accomplishment, all grounded in a deep reverence for nature.

Jolly, an educationist and writer, presents Duncan not just as a botanical enthusiast but as a figure emblematic of 19th-century Scottish self-improvement. He intertwines Duncan’s story with portraits of the people who influenced him, and offers a thoughtful commentary on the social, religious, and scientific climate of the time. The biography is both an account of an individual’s quiet dedication to learning and a broader sketch of working-class life in rural Scotland during the Victorian era. It's an affectionate tribute to perseverance, curiosity, and the quiet richness of a life spent observing the natural world.

The Life of John Duncan, Scotch Weaver and Botanist, with Sketches of His Friends and Notices of the Times, by William Jolly, F.R.S.E., F.G.S.

Published by Kegan Paul, Trench & Co., London. 1883 Second Edition (published same year as first printing).

A good (plus) olive green cloth hardback with gilt titles to spine and black printed decoration, including thistle roundel to front. Cover lightly rubbed with some speckled spotting. Soundly bound, with a little give in the spine. Attractive bookplate of 'Jas. Sword' to first free endpaper. Black endpapers with some cracking to front.

With portrait frontispiece with tissue guard. The guard with some age spotting. 1cm marginal edge tear to frontispiece at lower edge. Text is bright and clean throughout. Top edge of text block with olive tone. Some light usage marks to text block edge.

Text in English.

xix + 516pp + 44pp Publisher's advertisements.

Dimensions: approximately 205mm  x 145mm x 45mm.

Weight: Approximately 896g (unpacked).