Ocean Gardens: The History of the Marine Aquarium...

By Henry Noel Humphreys. London: Sampson Low, 1857.
Humphreys, an illustrator, entomologist, and scholar of medieval manuscripts, wrote this little volume on the history of the marine aquarium, which includes advice on creating and maintaining one, and detailed information on which varieties of plants and animals to choose. When this book was written, modern in-home aquariums were still a very recent development. In the early 1850's, the first major public aquarium opened at the London Zoological Society. The Victorians already had a fascination with the sea; having a miniaturized version of the ocean floor at home became a mid-19th century fad. You can read this book online, and view the 12 hand-colored plates.