William Bartram and His Parallels

Brian McDonald

“Whilst I continually impelled by a spirit of curiosity, in pursuit of new productions of nature, my chief happiness consisted of tracing and admiring the infinite power, majesty, and perfection of the great almighty creator, and in the contemplation, that though divine aid and permission, I might be instrumental in discovering, and introducing into my own native country, some original productions of nature, which might become useful to society (Gatta 49).”

Bartram makes his first claim to connect nature and God, is his term used to describe what drives him; a “spirit” of curiosity. Almost to describe that there is a heavenly power that makes him curious to see more and more of what God has created. He goes on to use such words as infinite power, perfection and majesty to describe the wild landscape surrounding him. Beyond the “spirit” making him curious, he enjoyed seeing God’s creations even more. In the wild with no distractions, no humans, no civilization, that is where Bartam found God most present. Ironic in a sort of way, that humans give their praise and worship to try and connect with God, and God is most present in places with out humans. Next Bartam uses the term instrumental. He makes a statement that is to say, that he is an instrument of God, and he has gone to this place of revelations, and he is to share what he has seen. The last part of his statement says “and introducing into my native country.” Bartam really sees this wild landscape as a different country. This wild area is an escape and an entirely different country. This foreign nation is ruled by God. There is no man to make laws, only God, and his creations beside man. Perhaps this truly is the Utopia some hope to find, a Garden of Eden of sorts. A place where God’s is the only rule of the land, and everything runs as nature, or God intended.