George Forster was just 10 years old when he left his home in present-day Poland to travel to Russia with his naturalist father in 1765. During the expedition along the Volga river, he encountered Muslim Tartar traders, Cossack warriors, and impoverished German settlers. This early exposure to diverse cultures sparked a lifelong passion for exploration and a deep compassion for people regardless of their race or background.
At a time when racism was widespread among intellectuals like Rousseau and Kant, Forster boldly challenged their views. Andrea Wulf's new biography, 'The Traveller', focuses heavily on the three years Forster spent as assistant naturalist on Captain Cook's HMS Resolution, beginning when he was just 17. Unlike the crew, Forster was concerned about the expedition's impact on Pacific islanders, writing in his diary that they had every right to see the sailors as invaders. He formed a close friendship with Hitihiti, a man from Bora Bora who voluntarily joined the crew, and they taught each other their native languages.
Wulf's research, drawn from Forster's letters, diaries, and essays, brings vivid detail to his experiences, such as the 'sapphire blues' of Antarctic glaciers. Despite his unconventional views, Forster was respected by King George III and European royals. In his 1777 book 'A Voyage Round the World', he condemned violence against Indigenous peoples and advocated for what he called 'the general rights of mankind', an early appeal to universal human rights.
Later in life, Forster became a professor of natural philosophy and continued to challenge racial hierarchies, refuting Kant's theories with evidence from his travels. He dismissed Kant's work as 'armchair philosophy'. However, Forster faced financial troubles, was ostracised for supporting the French Revolution, and suffered from his wife's infidelity. Despite his contributions, his life ended in hardship.
