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. 297]
Sr I dont remember I ever had the honour to see you; tho many times I have heartily wish’d I could. Yet considering ye my Farther, Mr Ray had with you I presume to give you the trouble of these lines. And I hope you will accept my thanks for the many favours our family have Rec’d from you: which I think I am in gratitude bound to give you. My Mother is yet alive, & gives her most humble service to you: And we should be very glad to hear of your good health, Which I sincerely wish you. And should be proud if you wou’d honour me with a line or two from your most excellent hand. I am Mr Rays youngest daughter, & am married too ye Rev’d Mr Joshua Blower living in Bradwell near Braintree in Essex who also gives you his humble service though unknown. I am Sr Hans
Your Obliged humble
ser:t Jane Blower
Bradwell
May ye 16 1727.
Read more- Letter 3342
Latest Statistics
| Pages digitised | |
| 4,545 | Document summaries |
| Documents transcribed | |
| People | |
| 1,527 | Medical Cases |
| Places |