Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Thomas Hyde to Hans Sloane – August 5, 1700
Item info
Date: August 5, 1700
Author: Thomas Hyde
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4038
Folio: ff. 43-44
Original Page
Transcription
Hyde reminds Sloane that he had asked him to subscribe to his book on the ‘Religion of the Old Persians’. Sloane said he would help once it was printed and Hyde is informing him that this is now the case. As such, he wants to know how many copies Sloane would like to purchase.
Hyde was the librarian of the Bodleian Library from 1665 to 1701. He possessed excellent linguistic skills in eastern languages, especially ancient Persian and Arabic (P. J. Marshall, Hyde, Thomas (16361703), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/14336, accessed 19 June 2013]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
William Paynter to Hans Sloane – October 5, 1700
Item info
Date: October 5, 1700
Author: William Paynter
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4038
Folio: ff. 79-80
Original Page
Transcription
Paynter thanks Sloane for his donation to Oxford’s public library. He apologizes for not having thanked him sooner.
Paynter occupied posts at Oxford during his career and was the retainer of Wootton rectory until his death (J. H. Curthoys, Paynter , William (16371716), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/21663, accessed 25 June 2013]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Abraham de la Pryme to Hans Sloane – September 30, 1700
Item info
Date: September 30, 1700
Author: Abraham de la Pryme
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4038
Folio: ff. 77-78
Original Page
Transcription
De la Pryme apologizes for the confusion, informing Sloane that the package of petrified shellfish mentioned in the last letter was directed to Gresham College by carrier and should be arriving soon.
De la Pryme was an antiquary, who established extensive correspondence with other antiquaries such as Nathaniel Johnston, Thomas Gale, Ralph Thoresby, and Sloane. In 1702, on Sloanes proposal, he was elected a fellow of the Royal Society (C. E. A. Cheesman, Pryme, Abraham (16711704), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/22852, accessed 25 June 2013]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Stephen Gray to Hans Sloane – September 13, 1700
Item info
Date: September 13, 1700
Author: Stephen Gray
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4038
Folio: ff. 66-67
Original Page
Transcription
Gray informs Sloane that he knows nothing about the pork sent to the Royal Society. Sloane had asked for a more particular account of its fat. Gray claims that someone must share his name or is impersonating him. He adds: ‘I knew not that the salt I gave you an account of had been observed by any one before[,] but by yours am well satisfied it has’.
Gray was an experimental philosopher who established a rapport with the Royal Society and Royal Greenwich Observatory, published articles in the Transactions, and experimented with electricity (Michael Ben-Chaim, Gray, Stephen (bap. 1666, d. 1736), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/11354, accessed 26 June 2013]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
John Woodward to Hans Sloane – March 2, 1700
Item info
Date: March 2, 1700
Author: John Woodward
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4037
Folio: f. 374
Original Page
Transcription
[fol. 374] 2. Mar/y 99 Doctor I was yesterday to wait upon Sr John Hoskyns to know what ye Council had done in Relation to ye Letter I wrote them. He referred me for satisfaction to several Votes of ye Council about ye Transactioneer: & directed me to send to yu for a Copy of them; wch I now do, & desire I may have it as soon as may be. Your Servant J Woodward
Woodward was a physician, natural historian and antiquary who expounded a theory of the earth in which fossils were creatures destroyed by the biblical flood. This embroiled him in a controversy in which he was opposed by John Ray, Edward Llwyd, Martin Lister, and Tancred Robinson (J. M. Levine, “Woodward, John (1665/1668-1728)”, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/29946, accessed 17 June 2011]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Abraham de la Pryme to Hans Sloane – September 18, 1700
Item info
Date: September 18, 1700
Author: Abraham de la Pryme
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4038
Folio: ff. 68-69
Original Page
Transcription
De la Pryme thanks Sloane for sending the Philosophical Transactions. He sends Sloane a box of petrified shellfish along with what he knows about them. He writes that he will send more information if the account is worthy of the Transactions. De la Pryme promises to forward an odd letter from the East Indies.
De la Pryme was an antiquary, who established extensive correspondence with other antiquaries such as Nathaniel Johnston, Thomas Gale, Ralph Thoresby, and Sloane. In 1702, on Sloanes proposal, he was elected a fellow of the Royal Society (C. E. A. Cheesman, Pryme, Abraham (16711704), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/22852, accessed 25 June 2013]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Robert Southwell to Hans Sloane – April 26, 1700
Item info
Date: April 26, 1700
Author: Robert Southwell
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4038
Folio: ff. 7-8
Original Page
Transcription
Southwell asks for a copy of an unspecified draft so that he can add a few words to it before writing to Mr Bidloo.
Sir Robert Southwell was a diplomat and government official. He was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1662, and was elected president from 1690 to 1695 (Toby Barnard, Southwell, Sir Robert (16351702), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/26066, accessed 19 June 2013]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Robert Southwell to Hans Sloane – April 27, 1700
Item info
Date: April 27, 1700
Author: Robert Southwell
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4038
Folio: ff. 9-10
Original Page
Transcription
Southwell returns the draft for Sloane to proofread. His son wants Sloane to see what Mr Bidloo wrote to him. He informs Sloane that he has been reading about the corrosion of rivers, especially the River Arno in Florence, but the terms in the work render it ‘algebra to a stranger’. Only a few pages would be useful to the general reader. Southwell does not understand the methods the book describes for cleansing and restoring ancient riverbeds.
Sir Robert Southwell was a diplomat and government official. He was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1662, and was elected president from 1690 to 1695 (Toby Barnard, Southwell, Sir Robert (16351702), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/26066, accessed 19 June 2013]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Arthur Charlett to Hans Sloane – October 8, 1700
Item info
Date: October 8, 1700
Author: Arthur Charlett
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4038
Folio: f. 81
Original Page
Transcription
Charlett thanks Sloane for his donation to Oxford’s public library. He relates that he saw Dr Breach, who praised Sloane for his efforts.
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 18 June 2013]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Thomas Hyde to Hans Sloane – November 19, 1700
Item info
Date: November 19, 1700
Author: Thomas Hyde
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4038
Folio: f. 90
Original Page
Transcription
Hyde corrects his previous letter, informing Sloane of the proper number of books and where they are to be found. He tells Sloane that he has taken care of the books for the auction.
Hyde was the librarian of the Bodleian Library from 1665 to 1701. He possessed excellent linguistic skills in eastern languages, especially ancient Persian and Arabic (P. J. Marshall, Hyde, Thomas (16361703), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/14336, accessed 19 June 2013]).