Dr. Kubassek János szerk.: A Kárpát-medence természeti értékei (Érd, 2004)

Dr. Péter Rózsa: Robert Townson (1762-1827): a pioneer scientific explorer of the Carpathian Basin

printed 1797. Travels in Hungary with a short account of Vienna - by Joh. Townson LLD (in the Year - 793)- It contains presumably interesting data on Hungary, in respect of natural history and especially mineralogy. I tvished vety much that you acquire this work either for the society or for yourself. The author is known by me by his fame from Hungary. - He must be a very scholarly man. It has not been known whether Lenz purchased the book, however, now it is not available in the library of the University

7 of Jena, or in that of the Mineralogical Museum (VICZIÁN I, 1999) • Townson's Travels in Hungary was known and appreciated, among other eminent Hungarian contemporaries, by Mihály Csokonai Vitéz (1773-1805), Ferenc Kazinczy (1759-1831), Count József Dessewfy (1771-1843); his descriptions on the Baradla near Aggtelek and on the Lednica near Szilice were cited by Keresztély Raisz (1766-1849); translation of this part of the book was published by László Bartholomaeides (1745-1825) and Pál Almási Balogh (1794-1864). 8 Although his name was cited by several spéléologie, geographical, geological and botanical works, and his activity in Hungary is known by the Hungarian history of science, his book has become to be an important mirror and cultural-historical source of that age.

49 This could be regarded as a matter of course, however, it should not be accepted that Townson's being a remarkable scientist and scientific importance of his tour in Hungary has fallen into the background. It is typical that several recent work mentioned him merely as an English traveller and nobleman (sic!). Reception and influence of Townson's Travels in Hungary out of Hungary has not been revealed. It is known that Richard Bright (1789-1858), who made also a tour in Hungary and published a book on it in 1815,

50 knew Townson's work. It is probable that James Playfair (1738-1819) also know and used the Travels in Hungary when he made the part on Hungary of his voluminous geographical work

51 because in the case of description of the Hungarian towns one can recognise Townson's sentences almost word by word. Surprisingly enough, foreign scientists, such as Esmark, Wahlenberg, Beaudant, who came to Hungary after Townson's tour did not mentioned his name and work in their books.Regarding its scientific value, impact and influence of the Travels in Hungary was quite low both in and out of O 18/1 o