Welcome to The Sloane Letters Project
A pilot of this project, Sir Hans Sloane’s Correspondence Online, was first launched at the University of Saskatchewan in 2010 to coincide with the 350th anniversary of Sir Hans Sloane’s birth. The project was renamed The Sloane Letters Project when it moved to this site in 2016.
The correspondence of Sir Hans Sloane (1660-1753) consists of thirty-eight volumes held at the British Library, London: MSS 4036-4069, 4075-4078. The letters are a rich source of information about topics such as scientific discourse, collections of antiquities, curiosities and books, patients’ illnesses, medical treatments and family history. Most of the letters were addressed to Sloane, but a few volumes were addressed to others (MSS 4063-4067) or written by Sloane (MSS 4068-4069).
So far, we have entered descriptions and metadata for Sloane MSS 4036-4053 and 4075, as well as several letters from each of the following: Sloane MSS 4054-4055, 4066, 4068-4069 and 4076. Several of these entries also include transcriptions. Further entries and transcriptions are being made available gradually.
Please, explore the website and database. You can search through the letters, learn about Sir Hans Sloane or the letters written to him, and peruse blog posts about interesting letters!
Random Letter
Author:Recipient:
[fol. 132]
Honrd Sr
On wednesday last I sent yu by John Houldsworth a pott of Woodcocks which I had intended to have done in November last, but the season at that time was so dry & warme that we had none at all came to us they have all the winter been very scarce here though in some parts of Lancashire & Westmorland which are nigh the sea I hear there has been prety plenty as an effect of the Warmenes of the season I had brought hither in Christmas a nest of Hedge Sparrow eggs & I have been credibly informed that about the same time there were young magpyes taken out of a nest at Gerstang in Craven This country at present is free from the small pox. I shall be glad to hear that the Box came to yu in good order I have nothing at all in Nat: History to put into it but if any thing of that kind come in any way you may be sure of an account of it with my hearty wishes for yr good health I am with all due respect
Your much obliged servant
Ric: Richardson
North Bierley
Feb: 15 1723/24
Read more- Letter 3005
Latest Statistics
| Pages digitised | |
| 4,545 | Document summaries |
| Documents transcribed | |
| People | |
| 1,527 | Medical Cases |
| Places |