Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Christopher Merret to Hans Sloane – January 4, 1696
Item info
Date: January 4, 1696
Author: Christopher Merret
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4036
Folio: f. 281
Original Page
Transcription
Merret received Sloane’s last letter. He had sent some geese specimens to friends, but the carrier lost them. Merret is going ‘to make an exact scrutiny into it, being resolved to punish the carrier’. He has sent Sloane some papers and offers to send a swan.
Christopher Merret was a physician, natural philosopher, and worked as the Librarian to the Royal College of Physicians (D. E. Allen, ‘Merret , Christopher (1614–1695)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, May 2013 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/18599, accessed 12 May 2015]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
John Locke to Hans Sloane – March 13, 1696/7
Item info
Date: March 13, 1696/7
Author: John Locke
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4036
Folio: ff. 290-291
Original Page
Transcription
Locke has left something for Sloane ‘at the Stationers over ag’t the East India house’.
Locke was a philosopher, physician, and highly influential proponent of liberalism in England (J. R. Milton, Locke, John (16321704), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, May 2008 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/16885, accessed 24 June 2013]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
John Locke to Hans Sloane – March 22, 1696/7
Item info
Date: March 22, 1696/7
Author: John Locke
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4036
Folio: ff. 294-295
Original Page
Transcription
Locke believes Sloane has done ‘too great an honour to those odde nails I sent yu to lodg them in the Royal societies Musaeum’. He is considering writing and publishing a history of them. He spoke with the ‘yonge man [who provided the nails] a second time’. Locke has sent a copy of ‘les Beautie de la Perse’. He asks Sloane to provide a copy of ‘Dr Molineaux’s letter’ for him when it is printed.
Locke was a philosopher, physician, and highly influential proponent of liberalism in England (J. R. Milton, Locke, John (16321704), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, May 2008 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/16885, accessed 24 June 2013]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
John Ray to Hans Sloane – December 23, 1702
Item info
Date: December 23, 1702
Author: John Ray
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4039
Folio: f. 57
Original Page
Transcription
Ray accepts that he will have to set his History of Plants aside. He had asked Sloane to inform Charles Preston that his Method has been published. Many people have been clamouring for him to describe the exotic plants in the collections of London’s elite.
Ray was a theologian and naturalist who collected and catalogued his botanical findings in the much lauded Historia plantarum (1686, 1688) (Scott Mandelbrote, Ray , John (16271705), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Oct 2005 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/23203, accessed 18 June 2013]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Martin Lister to Hans Sloane – May 29, 1688
Item info
Date: May 29, 1688
Author: Martin Lister
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4036
Folio: f. 36
Original Page
Transcription
Lister has read some of the letters Sloane sent from Jamaica. He hopes to send some books soon. Lister asks if Sloane was aware of a package that was being sent to his Lord from Jamaica.
Lister was a physician and naturalist who was honored by being appointed second physician to the queen in 1710. He wrote and published several medical and natural history works, some of which appeared in Philosophical Transactions, as well as serving as vice-president of the Royal Society briefly in 1685-1686 (J. D. Woodley, Lister, Martin (bap. 1639, d. 1712), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Oct 2008 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/16763, accessed 11 May 2011]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
John Chamberlayne to Hans Sloane – May 10, 1703
Item info
Date: May 10, 1703
Author: John Chamberlayne
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4039
Folio: f. 127
Original Page
Transcription
Chamberlayne encloses an unspecified curiosity. A poor woman makes money by showing it. He asks for Sloane’s answer regarding his request for copies of the Philosophical Transactions.
John Chamberlayne was a translator and editor specializing in modern languages which he studied at the University of Leiden. He translated works on many topics, was a fellow of the Royal Society, and published three works in the Philsophical Transactions (Reavley Gair, “Chamberlayne, John (1668/9-1723)”, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Oct 2009 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/5060, accessed 30 May 2011]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
James Cuninghame to Hans Sloane – February 3, 1702/03
Item info
Date: February 3, 1702/03
Author: James Cuninghame
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4039
Folio: ff. 81-82
-
Language
English
-
Library
British Library, London
-
Categories
Collections, Government, Legal, Scholarship, Scientific, Trade or Commodities, Travel
-
Subjects
Almanacs, Butterflies, China, Chinese Language, Colonialism, Seeds, Shells, Specimens, Weather
-
Date (as written)
February 3, 1702/03
-
Standardised date
-
Origin (as written)
Chusan
-
Others mentioned
James Petiver Mr Oliphant
-
Patients mentioned
Original Page
Transcription
[fol. 81]
Sr
The shortness of time will not permitt me to give you
a particular account of our affairs, therefor I must referr you
to my good friend Mr Oliphant Surgeon to the Eaton Frigat. Ever
since we came here we have been in suspense about our Settlement
& now the Chinese stuborness has forcd the factory away at once;
my circumstances being such as I could not leave this place without
considerable disadvantage as others have done; I have procurd liberty
from the Government to stay behind, designing to return home in
the Sarah-Galley, which will not be dispatched this season. I have
sent you by Mr Oliphant the Draught of Chusan & the adhacent
Islands which I formerlie promisd you, as exact as any of that
kind; also a Register of the Weather here for 14 Months; a Chinese
Almanack & a small Chinese book of Characters with their
Hieroglyphical Significations; And because I cannot have time to
write to Mr Petiver, I have sent betwixt you & him a few
seeds, a few shells & a few Butterflies, which you must accept from
a willing mind to serve you, till we meet with more favourable
opportunities. My most humble service to all the Gentlemen of
your Societie, to serve whom shall always be the ambition
Sir
Your most obliged &
most Humble Sert
Ja: Cuninghame
Chuson Febrie 3. 1702.
James Cuninghame (fl. 1698-1709) became a member of the Royal Society in 1699. He traveled the world as a trader and collected information, plant specimens, and curiosities until his death in 1709 (Gordon Goodwin, Cuninghame , James (fl. 16981709), rev. D. J. Mabberley, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Sept 2010 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/6922, accessed 24 June 2013]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
William Cowper to Hans Sloane – April 29, 1703
Item info
Date: April 29, 1703
Author: William Cowper
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4039
Folio: f. 118
Original Page
Transcription
Cowper sends an account of the arteries: Sloane MS ff. 119-120. He promised Mr Wren that if he could not bring the account personally he would send it to the Royal Society in time for its meeting.
Cowper was a surgeon and an anatomist, elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1699. He became embroiled in a plagiarism scandal in 1698 when he was accused of copying Govard Bidloos anatomical work (Monique Kornell, Cowper , William (1666/71710), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/6510, accessed 4 July 2013]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
John Ray to Hans Sloane – April 14, 1703
Item info
Date: April 14, 1703
Author: John Ray
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4039
Folio: ff. 112-113
-
Language
English
-
Library
British Library, London
-
Categories
Collections, Material Culture, Patronage, Scholarship
-
Subjects
Books, Cabinet, Entomology, Insects, Plants, Specimens
-
Date (as written)
April 14, 1703
-
Standardised date
-
Origin (as written)
Black Notley
-
Others mentioned
Sir Thomas
-
Patients mentioned
Original Page
Transcription
[fol. 112]
Sr
I have sent You this morning Hyacinthus Ambrosmus, which I now find to be Yours; & am sorry I should be so careless & forgetfull as not to send it with the last books, wch inadvertently I though & wrote were all of Yours I had in my hands. I give You most hearty thanks for the kind and generous offer of ye use of Your exotick Insects to describe. I have not yet begun what I intend upon that subject, expecting Mr Willughbyes Collections from Sr Thomas W. I shall not pretend to a generall History of Insects, but confine myself to those that are native of our own Countrey, & such exoticks as are in the Museums & cabinets of Your self & other curious persons about London & elsewhere in England so far as I can procure them. When I have done my best, I believe all the species of British Insects wch I have observed my self, or shall procure from friends will not amount to the fift part of those that are heer bred. My Wife & girls give You their very humble services. Excuse this unnecessary trouble & pardon my forgetfulness in this long detaining Your book. I am
Sr, Your much obliged servant &
humble Oratour John Ray
Black Notley
April 14. 1703.
Ray was a theologian and naturalist who collected and catalogued his botanical findings in the much lauded Historia plantarum (1686, 1688) (Scott Mandelbrote, Ray , John (16271705), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Oct 2005 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/23203, accessed 18 June 2013]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
John Chamberlayne to Hans Sloane – March 12, 1702/03
Item info
Date: March 12, 1702/03
Author: John Chamberlayne
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4039
Folio: f. 100
Original Page
Transcription
Chamberlayne presents Sloane with his latest letter from Leeuwenhoek. It is to be put before the Royal Society. Chamberlayne has translated ‘samen-stremen’ as ‘cement, coagulat, coalesce & unite’, but he is unsure whether it is accurate. He submits it to Sloane’s judgment.
John Chamberlayne was a translator and editor specializing in modern languages which he studied at the University of Leiden. He translated works on many topics, was a fellow of the Royal Society, and published three works in the Philsophical Transactions (Reavley Gair, “Chamberlayne, John (1668/9-1723)”, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Oct 2009 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/5060, accessed 30 May 2011]).