DONOVAN

donovan, edward (1768-1837), english naturalist, was the author of many popular works on natural history and botany. in 1792 appeared the first volume of his _natural history of british insects_, which extended to sixteen volumes, and was completed in 1813. he also published _natural histories of british birds_, in 10 vols. 8vo (1799-1819), _of british fishes_, in 5 vols. (1802-1808), _of british shells_, in 5 vols. (1800-1804), a series of illustrated works on _the insects of india, china, new holland, &c._, in 3 vols. 4to (1798-1805), and _excursions in south wales and monmouthshire_ (1805). to these works must be added his periodical entitled _the naturalist's repository_, a monthly publication, of which three volumes were completed (1823-1825), and an _essay on the minute parts of plants in general_. donovan was author of the articles on natural history in rees's _cyclopaedia_. in 1833 he published a _memorial respecting my publications in natural history_, in which he complains that he had been nearly ruined by his publishers. he was a fellow of the linnean society, and died in london on the 1st of february 1837. doom (old eng. _dom_, a word common to teut. languages for that which is set up or ordered, from "do," in its original meaning of "place"; cf. gr. [greek: themis], from stem of [greek: tithemi]), originally a law or enactment, the legal decision of a judge, and particularly an adverse sentence on a criminal. the word is thus applicable to the adverse decrees of fate, and particularly to the day of judgment. the verb "deem," to deliver a judgment, and hence to give or hold an opinion, is a derivative, and appears also in various old teutonic forms. it is seen in "deemster," the name of the two judges of the isle of man.