Letter 0440

Posted on August 2, 2016 by -

Arthur Charlett to Hans Sloane – April 12, 1697


Item info

Date: April 12, 1697
Author: Arthur Charlett
Recipient: Hans Sloane

Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4036
Folio: f. 301


Original Page


Transcription

[fol. 301] Sir I have receaved so many Presents from Dr Sloane, that should have long since been acknowledged. I have here inclosed a short account of a Learned book lately published, with great ease and Paine, of such other that Published here, the like Advertisements you shall receive. I desired Dr Gregory to wait upon you, both He and Dr Wallis promise to send you Papers frequently. I cannot meet with Dr Hannes, so as to discourse him fully about this matter. Your Edition of Malpighius is very fair and elegant, and must be very acceptable to all curious persons. You have very honourably done justice to the memory of that excellent Person, who had so particular an Esteem for the Royal Society of England. It is great pity that your Society, the two Universitys, and the Learned part of the City, cannot come to so good an understanding as to enter into some common measures, about taking of Books of Learning, that we might be freed from, depending on the men of Trade, who seldom agree with men of Letters in the same opinion of books. I think you & I did discourse something about a Project of this nature. I should be glad to receave your farther Thoughts at leisure, which upon this or any other subject, shall be extremely welcome to… Your obliged Humble Servant. [ps.] My very humble service to Captain Hutton.

Charlett thanks Sloane for his many presents and discusses a further exchange of books. Charlett laments that the Royal Society and the universities cannot work out some common book exchange that would the best for all.

Charlett was elected Master of University College at Oxford in 1692 and held that post until his death in 1722. Charlett used the mastership to gain influence, especially through persistent letter-writing to numerous correspondents, sharing the latest literary, political, and scholarly gossip (R. H. Darwall-Smith, Charlett, Arthur (16551722), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/5158, accessed 1 June 2011]).



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