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Welcome to The Sloane Letters Project

sloaneA 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. 216] Looe Octr 17th. 1729 Much Respected Friend Sr Hans Sloane As thee wer’t pleas’d to give me Leave to advise thee how my Sight was when I return’d I now make bold to Acquaint thee that I gott well home to Morrow will be four weeks & according to thy advice I had this day three weeks an Issue cutt on each shoulder wch proves very well & Discharges much thick white Matter. I have Continued to take the Electuary & Julip wch I bought from London twice every day, Likewise I annoint my Eyes and take my Pills as Directed the Ointment is grown very thick how may I make it Thiner. The Pupill of my Eye grows Bigg & small as I Look to or from the Light it hath as Quick a Motion as other peoples Eyes my Eye Looks very Clear and well & the film on my blinde Eye seems much thinner than it was the sight of the Eye Appears through the Film, yet I cannot see with it I think I’ve gain’d very large Characters wch I could not then do, I deferd my writing there being in hopes I should have messaged faster after having The Issues – pray how much Longer shall I continue taking the Electuary Julep & Pills & to Annoint Mine Eyes, as this Ointment is nigh done pray how or where may I have More, I sent my Man to see thy Patient Townsend who he found writing & in his presence Read a news paper. Shee told him her sight gradually Decay’d for four or five yeares & that shee was blinde about a year & nigh a year recovering her sight & said shee though our Cases n’ere very Nigh alike. Turn Over This Actt comforted me very much. I observe the shades of the Sunn Moon & Candle Light Much more perfect than I have bin able to do for a Long time past. Spectacles nor any other Glasses are of very little service to me. Thy thoughts hereon and thy advice how to proceed will be Esteem’d a great favour by him who is with due Respects thy sincere Friend Nicho Harris Junior
Read more- Letter 3677


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