Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
William Sherard to Hans Sloane – April 27, 1702
Item info
Date: April 27, 1702
Author: William Sherard
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4038
Folio: f. 332
Original Page
Transcription
Sherard asks Sloane if he is familiar with Dr Areskin, who worked at ‘Duberney’s house’. Areskin has taken anatomical courses in London and wants to wait on Sloane. Sherard inquires as to whether Dr Hooke will deliver his lecture, as he was sick for some time before.
Sherard was a botanist and cataloguer. He worked for the Turkish Company at Smyrna where he collected botanical specimens and antiques (D. E. Allen, Sherard, William (16591728), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/25355, accessed 24 June 2011]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Richard Richardson to Hans Sloane – January 30, 1723
Item info
Date: January 30, 1723
Author: Richard Richardson
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4046
Folio: ff. 328-329
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Language
English
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Library
British Library, London
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Categories
Collections, Library, Medical, Scholarship, Scientific
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Subjects
Birds, Books, Geology, Inoculations, Ornithology, Smallpox, Specimens
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Date (as written)
January 30, 1723
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Standardised date
-
Origin (as written)
North Bierley
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Others mentioned
Liebknecht
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Patients mentioned
Original Page
Transcription
Richardson received the books Sloane lent to him. He discusses Liebknecht’s observations ‘relating to the petrifaction of the yellow sand’ and the process of its formation. The account reminded him of when some laborers were enlarging his fish pound and came upon a ‘rusty heavy sand (the weight of which they very much compained of)’. He discusses the sand in detail. Richardson writes of the ‘Crosbeake’, a bird he characterizes as ‘very mischeivouse to apples’. He saw a ‘nest of them […] in the parish of Hally-fax the young ones were taken before they were wel featherd 2 dyed in a few days’. His attention turns to the ‘House Sparrow’, which he thinks have been neglected by naturalists. He will send one if possible. He is glad to hear Sloane’s grandson recovered from smallpox. Inoculations have not been taking place in North Bierely, much to Richardson’s consternation.
Richardson was a physician and botanist who traveled widely in England, Wales, and Scotland in search of rare specimens. He corresponded and exchanged plants with many well-known botanists and naturalists (W. P. Courtney, Richardson, Richard (16631741), rev. Peter Davis, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, May 2010 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/23576, accessed 31 May 2011]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
William North to Hans Sloane – December 19, 1712
Item info
Date: December 19, 1712
Author: William North
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4076
Folio: f. 166
Original Page
Transcription
Fol. 166
My wife being taken ill of a fever a great pain in her head. I send this to desire you will come down and see her. I send up my coach to wait on you what time you please and I expect from [our?] acquaintance ye fond of seeing you in ye morning tomorrow…
William North (1678-1734), 6th Baron North, 2nd Baron Grey of Rolleston, and Jacobite Earl North was an army officer. He married Maria Margarette (1690?-1762) in 1705, the daughter of Holland’s treasurer. He was involved in Jacobite plots after the South Sea Bubble crash (Lawrence B. Smith, ‘North, William, sixth Baron North, second Baron Grey of Rolleston, and Jacobite Earl North (1678–1734)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/20317, accessed 9 July 2014]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
William Oliver to Hans Sloane – November 16, 1739.
Item info
Date: November 16, 1739.
Author: William Oliver
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4076
Folio: f. 179
Original Page
Transcription
Fol. 179
[happy to see case in the trans]
One of the most prevailing arguments against inoculation is the fear of communicated other distempers with the matter of the smallpox. I think it might be worthwhile to observe the manner in which persons, labouring under other distempers, go through the smallpox; as likewise whether they are not often succeeded by eruptive diseases, of a different type, immediately after the crisis of the smallpox is over. I have observed several persons of very ill habits of body, labouring under anomial [?] distempers of various kinds, who have had the most distinct kind of smallpox, in the most favourable manner. In the west of England the milliary fever has been epidemick and very fatal, for these 15 years last past, and it has often happened that when the smallpox has been of a favourable kind, and the crisis has been as perfect as could be expected, the milliary fever has appeared and carryd off the patient in a few days and hither these observations may furnish any probable argument that the seeds of other diseases do not mix in the [?] matter in its critical expulsion or not; I submit to your consideration…
Discussions regarding observation of smallpox. William Oliver was a physician and qualified as a licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians in 1692. He was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1704 and worked at the Royal Hospital at Greenwich from 1709 to 1714. Some of his work was published in the Philosophical Transactions (W. P. Courtney, Oliver, William (bap. 1658, d. 1716), rev. S. Glaser, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/20735, accessed 17 July 2013]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle to Hans Sloane – n.d.
Item info
Date: n.d.
Author: Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4076
Folio: f. 240
Original Page
Transcription
Fol. 240
Soon after you left my father Pelham this evening he took a dislike to the blisters which you had order’d and in a little while sent for Sir John Shadwell who has been with him this evening. He will come again tomorrow morn half an hour after nine o’clock. I hope you will not dislike to meet him here at that time…
Thomas Pelham-Holles, Duke of Newcastle upon Tyne and 1st Duke of Newcastle under Lyme, served Sir Robert Walpole for over 20 years and became Prime Minister in the 1750s (Reed Browning, Holles, Thomas Pelham-, duke of Newcastle upon Tyne and first duke of Newcastle under Lyme (16931768), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, May 2011 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/21801, accessed 17 July 2013]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Horatio Pettus to Hans Sloane – November 26, 1716
Item info
Date: November 26, 1716
Author: Horatio Pettus
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4076
Folio: f. 244
Original Page
Transcription
Fol. 244
This comes to returne my wife’s and my thanks to you for your care and attendance of my poor girl at Mrs Drapers; to whom (under God) we must own the preservation of her life.
I desire you’d do all you can for her bad cough; which I hear is now upon her.
Mrs Draper I hope has supply’d my part to you; and desire in this acceptance of our service’s; and particularly that of him…
[P.S.] My wife and selfe, joynes in service to your Lady; and fair daughters.
Sir Horatio Pettus, 4th Baronet of Rackheath, married Elizabeth Meeres and had a daughter named Anna Maria Pettus (http://www.thepeerage.com/p42664.htm#i426634).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Charles du Bois to Hans Sloane – June 25, 1725
Item info
Date: June 25, 1725
Author: Charles du Bois
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4048
Folio: f. 8
Original Page
Transcription
[fol. 8]
Sr
My thanks being paid only verbally for your Noble present, I take this occasion of returning your Paper, & also of repeating my acknowledgement for you curious & instructing Book, & for the humanity you have always shew’d me, & particularly in your last kind allowing an old Acquaintance to take up some of your valuable time to see the great accessions to your ample Collection I shall with great pleasure attend your, when your more significant affaires will allow you to give me notice when my Attendance on you will be least inconvenient. I am
Yor Obliged humb servt
Charles du Bois
June 25, 1725.
Charles du Bois was a botanist working as the cashier-general of the East India Company. He became acquainted with other natural historians like James Petiver, William Sherard and Sloane, and was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1700 (B. D. Jackson, Dubois, Charles (bap. 1658, d. 1740), rev. P. E. Kell, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/8113, accessed 8 July 2013]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
William Sherard to Hans Sloane – February 7, 1723/24
Item info
Date: February 7, 1723/24
Author: William Sherard
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4047
Folio: ff. 126-127
Original Page
Transcription
[fol. 126]
Feb.7.1723/4
Honered Sr.
By ye Bearer I send yr Box from Mr Catesby, I hope tis in much better condition then ye last ye reid from him it was opened by ye Custome house officers but I believe nothing taken out.
I have a large Gourd wth seeds for Mr. Rand, wch please to give him notice of it if you see him today, if not I’le write to him by penny post tomorrow morning having severall for rein letters to dispete it to might by ye Holland post. I am
Sr yr most humble servt
W.Sherard
Sherard was a botanist and cataloguer. He worked for the Turkish Company at Smyrna where he collected botanical specimens and antiques (D. E. Allen, Sherard, William (16591728), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/25355, accessed 24 June 2011]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Robert Sibbald to Hans Sloane – December 29, 1698
Item info
Date: December 29, 1698
Author: Robert Sibbald
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4037
Folio: ff. 175-176
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Language
English
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Library
British Library, London
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Categories
Legal, Medical, Patronage, Royal Society, Scientific
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Subjects
Balfour Library, Politics, Privy Council, Scientific Instruments, Scotland
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Date (as written)
December 29, 1698
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Standardised date
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Origin (as written)
Edinburgh
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Others mentioned
John Adair Sir James Balfour George Brown Sir Andrew Balfour Martin Martin
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Patients mentioned
Unnamed Boy
Original Page
Transcription
Sibbald has enclosed an account of the making of instruments, present by George Adams, who desires a profit to be made for the subsistence of his family: ‘he is very desirious a Gift may be promised for him in England that he and non but such as he may agree with, may have the Liberty of making & selling it for fourteen years.’ The Privy Council had previously granted him that, and Sibbald says he shall extend Sloane’s assistance, and Adams will come and show him the instruments in London. He updates Sloane on the condition of a boy who has passed ‘above a hundred… Gravell stones’ of ‘such odd shapes’, and has since passed a box full of ‘greyish sand, as he had done at the beginning of the disease’, but for months has been enjoying perfect health. Sibbald discusses preparing a catalogue of the Library of Sir James Balfour who, along with his brother Andrew, ‘were great promoters and Advancers of the Best and most Curious Learning in this Kingdom.’ He asks Sloane what he wants out of the collection. Finally, he recommends the bearer ‘who hath been at great paines in making a description of the Isle of Sky’ because John Adair, ‘instead of rewarding him as he promised hath treated him severely.’ Sibbald asks Sloane to employ his friends in finding him some encouragement and reward at court. He goes on to describe how Skye-born Martin was Governor to the Chiefs of the Clans of the Isle and much in favour: ‘they will doe for him what they will doe for no other.’ He has unparalleled knowledge of the history, language, customs and lifestyle of that island, and is therefore very capable of serving the Royal Society.
Sibbald was a physician and a geographer. He was physician to James VII (Charles W. J. Withers, Sibbald, Sir Robert (16411722), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, May 2006 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/25496, accessed 19 June 2013]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Robert Uvedale to Hans Sloane – January 11, 1698/9
Item info
Date: January 11, 1698/9
Author: Robert Uvedale
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4037
Folio: f. 181
Original Page
Transcription
Uvedale apologizes for not managing to see Sloane when he was in London. He claims he was too hurried to do so. He laments not being able to settle a debt for some books. Uvedale reminds Sloane that the last time they met, Sloane had some thoughts of sending for a collection of plant seeds from the King’s Gardens to send to Tournefort. He writes that Sloane must act quickly as the ‘season is coming on apace!’ Uvedale hopes Sloane sends some seeds for him, having been disappointed that a package sent by Mr Sherrard got no further than Lyons, where Dr Carr was to bring them along with other samples from Carolina. Unfortunately, Carr lost them on a ship sailing from the Isle of Wight.
Robert Uvedale (1642-1722) was a botanist and schoolteacher. Though he was involved in the Royal Society he never became a member. Uvedale collected specimens for his personal herbarium, which was eventually acquired by Sir Hans Sloane (G. S. Boulger, Uvedale, Robert (16421722), rev. Anita McConnell, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/28042, accessed 9 June 2011]).