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. 347]
June 2 1725
Sir
Having lately been
in the Northern Parts of America, I
have brought from thence a Purse
made of the stone Asbestos, a Piece
of the Stone, and a Piece of Wood,
the Pithy Part of which is of the
same Nature, and called by the
Inhabitants salamander Cotton.
As you are noted to be a Lover
of Curiosities I have inform’d you
of these, and if you have any
Inclination to purchase them, or
see em, let me know your
Pleasure by a Line directed for me at
the Golden Fan in Little Britain,
and I will wait upon you with
them.
I am, Sir
your most humble servant
Benjamin Franklin
P.S. I expect to be
out of Town in 2 or 3
Days, and therefore
beg an immediate
Answer:
Read more- Letter 3163
Latest Statistics
| Pages digitised | |
| 4,545 | Document summaries |
| Documents transcribed | |
| People | |
| 1,527 | Medical Cases |
| Places |