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. 272] Hon’red Sr After so many signal Instances of your kindness to me, I shou’d have thought myself highly ungratefull had I neglected to have given you my most sincere acknowledgements for the late good turn you have been so kind as to doe me in writing to my Father, that it would be proper for me to come home by Paris. He in a late very obliging Letter to me has not only given leave that I shou’d take that place in my way, but has also wth greater confidence shall I deserve left it to my discretion how lond I shou’d stay here which att present I am unable to determine, but will when I am upon going; make bold to ask you for ye Recommendations you so kindly promised me, and which will be of very great service to me there. I have recievd a Letter within these few days from Mrs Rose, by which I had ye pleasure of knowing that yourself and your Assembly on thursday were then well as I hope you all continue. I beg you wou’d make my compliments to them, and accept the duty of Hon’red Sr your most obedient Grandson And most obliged humble servant Rose Fuller Leyden Feb: 7. N:S: 1730. P:S: If there is any thing in these parts wherein I can be of service to you or any books or other matters to be had here that you have occasion for, you will doe me a very great pleasure in honouring me thereupon wth your commands, which shall be obliged wth ye greatest diligence.
Read more- Letter 3718
Latest Statistics
| Pages digitised | |
| 4,545 | Document summaries |
| Documents transcribed | |
| People | |
| 1,527 | Medical Cases |
| Places |