Posted on April 26, 2017 by Amy Smith -
John Henley (1692-1756) attended Cambridge where he was outspoken and found it restrictive. He was ordained deacon in 1716 and ambitions took him to London in 1720. in 1725 he founded the Oratory, his own chapel and became the Orator, separating from the Church of England, and subsided by selling subscriptions to his books. Later, he began a Gentleman’s Own University, offering lectures and private tutorials on a range of subjects.
Reference:
Graham Midgley, ‘Henley, John (1692–1756)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Sept 2010 http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/12928 [accessed 17 Aug 2015])
Dates: to
Occupation: Unknown
Relationship to Sloane:
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Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Richard Richardson to Hans Sloane – June 16, 1702
Item info
Date: June 16, 1702
Author: Richard Richardson
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4038
Folio: ff. 353-354
Original Page
Transcription
MS 4038 Fol. 353
North Bierley June 16 702
Worthy Sir
I am glad to heare by your last that the designes were soe diverting to your Society, I hope longe agoe you got the coale plants & safe there are some 2 or 3 small ones which if you have time to examine them nicely you wil find the representations of seed upon them which is rare to be met with specimens of our same northern plants I am mounting for you I said with I knowe of any thing else that My country affords which I might find along with them that nigh & pound weight of stones voyded by urine in her then I years time by a person in Hallifax parish I have some of them by me that weigh nigh xxgr a piece & mr preistley in whose hands they now are told me there were much larger which he had disposed of, they are of very irregulare formes & the poor man voided of them dayly not with out very violent paine I wil save some of them for you to be sent with the plants this being soe unnaturall a case I could not omit it for a person of your curiosity & of any thing in naurall history occurr worthy of your observation I shall not be wanting in my comunications: & if any duplicats occurr to you in the regutation of your curiouse collection when you have time to regulate them any (ripped) of naturell History obliged (?) to a (?) us (ripped) ardson
Fol. 353 v
Mr Bonivest drink with me this day, we drinke your health & he gives you his humble service
Richardson is glad that the Royal Society liked the designs; he expresses his desire to hear if the samples, ‘Coale plants’, he had sent arrived safely and discusses rare northern plants. He writes that he has saved some irregular plants from Mr Priestly, which he will pass on to Sloane.
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 April 23, 2017 by Amy Smith -
Sir Robert Cotton, 5th Baronet (1669-1749) was a Jacobite and involved in the 1715 rebellion. He lived in exile in France before returning to England.
Reference:
Stuart Handley, ‘Cotton, Sir Robert Bruce, first baronet (1571–1631)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, May 2011 http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/6425 [accessed 23 July 2014]; Sir Robert Cotton, fifth baronet (1669–1749): doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/6424).
Dates: to
Occupation: Unknown
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Posted on April 23, 2017 by Amy Smith -
John Northleigh (1656/7-1705) was a physician and pamphleteer. He trained as a lawyer before studying medicine and setting up a practice in Exeter. Northleigh published several works on contemporary politics.
Reference:
Andrew M. Coleby, ‘Northleigh, John (1656/7–1705)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, (Oxford University Press, 2004 http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/20331 [accessed 9 July 2014]).
Dates: to
Occupation: Unknown
Relationship to Sloane:
Virtual International Authority File:
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Charles du Bois to Hans Sloane – December 1, 1703
Item info
Date: December 1, 1703
Author: Charles du Bois
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4039
Folio: f. 220
Original Page
Transcription
Du Bois presents Sloane with Indian specimens in return for the many favours he has received. He hopes this takes him far enough out of Sloane’s debt to request some doubles of Sloane’s English plants.
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 -
Charles du Bois to Hans Sloane – December 2, 1703
Item info
Date: December 2, 1703
Author: Charles du Bois
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4039
Folio: f. 221
Original Page
Transcription
[fol. 221] Sr I am obliged to Dr Bulkley at Fort St George & to be even with him intend to send him a Few books in his own way, You are so great a Master, that if you will do me the Favour to send me a List to ye Value of 4 or 5 – of such medicinal or Chirurgical books as are new & well done, it will keep up in him ye Spirit of improving Natural history, which has been so far advanced by you, that I’m sure you can’t help promoting it all laudible ways, a Line by ye peny post will find me if directed to ye Lamp in Fenchurch street, I am Sr Yor Obliged humb sert Chales du Bois Decr 2 1703
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 -
Jean-Paul Bignon to Hans Sloane – October 30, 1709
Item info
Date: October 30, 1709
Author: Jean-Paul Bignon
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4042
Folio: ff. 58-59
-
Language
French
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Library
British Library, London
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Categories
Collections, Library, Scholarship, Scientific, Travel
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Subjects
Astronomy, Books, Microscopes, Papers, Scientific Instruments
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Date (as written)
October 30, 1709
-
Standardised date
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Origin (as written)
a Paris
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Others mentioned
Mr Waller Churchile Robert Hooke
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Patients mentioned
Original Page
Transcription
[fol. 58] Monsieur Je ne puis vous pardoner les excuses que vous me faites. Il sen faut bien que vos lettres ne soient propres a fatiguer, comme votre modestie vous le fait dire. Le seul defaut jy trouve, cest quelles sont trop courtes. Ni reste elles sont remplies de mille particularites tres curieuses qui me font un veritable plaisir. Vous ne pouves mobliger plus sensiblement que de men ecrire souvent de semblables et desire bien persuade que les plus lonques, seront a mon gre les meilleures. Je ne connisaissois pont le Recueil de Voyages, que M. Churchile a donne depuis quelques annees en quatre volumes. Je suis ravi quil se prepare a nous en donner encore deux nouveaux. Cet Ouvrage doit etre curieux, et je vais incessamment prendre des mesures pour en orner ma Bibliotheque. La Republique des Lettres ne peut tenir trop de compte a M. Waller des loins quil prend pour mettre les Papiers de feu M. Hook en etat de voir le jour. Nous aves bien raison dassurer quon y trouvera de tres bonnes choses. Ce que vous me marques sur le Telescope de deux pieds en [fol. 59] est une bonne preuve. Autre que ces descouvertes sont deja tres utiles par elles memes, elles peuvent encore donner des ouvertures pour en faire dautres. Il faut render justice aux Anglois: ils sont laborieux et infatigables; et si len considere les grands et genereux efforts que font de concert et leurs serveurs et leurs Imprimeurs, on doit convenir quil ny a point de Nation en Europe qui travaille avec plus de success a lavancement et a la perfection des Arts. Je suis avec toute la consideration et toute la reconnaissance possibles, Monsieur
Votre tres humble et tres
obeissant serviteur
L’abbe Bignon
a Paris le 30. oct. 1709.
Bignon wants to acquire Churchile’s travel writing. He agrees that the work undertaken by Waller, in preparing Hooke’s documents for publication, is essential. Bignon mentions a telescope design discovered in Hooke’s papers, which proves their interest. He compliments the English for their contributions to science.
Jean-Paul Bignon (1662-1743) was a clergyman, librarian to Louis XIV, member of the Academie francaise, and mentor of Joseph Pitton de Tournefort (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Paul_Bignon).
Posted on April 25, 2017 by Amy Smith -
Christopher Merret was a physician, natural philosopher, and worked as the Librarian to the Royal College of Physicians.
Reference:
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]).
Dates: to
Occupation: Unknown
Relationship to Sloane:
Virtual International Authority File:
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
William Derham to Hans Sloane – September 20, 1705
Item info
Date: September 20, 1705
Author: William Derham
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4040
Folio: f. 69
Original Page
Transcription
[fol. 69]
Sr Upminster Sep: 20. 1705
Last night I read yours. I wish you much
success with your Purchace, wch certainly cannot
but be a pennyworth. I believe wt the Tenant told
you of felling 50 Timber is true, probably more
would do no harm to the Farm. But I believe you
had not best to begin to fell, till you or some
skillfull friend have viewed the timber, & assigned
the particular Trees to be felled. Some ingenious
Carpenter would so so much a thing best, especially if
Overlooked. As to wt ye Tent saith about Lopping, & getting
Rafters, my opinion is, yt you had best to forbid that
to be done in a greater quantity than wt his Lease
permitteth. I presume his Lease pemritts him to
Lop for Stake-boot & Tire-boot, & one of yt there may
be enough found for Rafters. Then there are very
few if any wanting, the buildings being all in
very good Repair, except a small part of the Brew
house, wch you must take speedy care to have done
before winter & Frosts some. But perhaps the Tenant
is bound to repairs, & therefore it will be good to ex-
cite him, & you may allow him a small matter
towards it, by reason it is what the storm did. The
neighbour wch I intend to empty to overlook your
Tenant is not yet gone to his New-house, there but will speedily do
So, & he hath promised me all care & fidelity in your behalf. If
I can be any way serviceable to you in this or any other matter
You know whom you may comand. But I should be glad if you
Would be persuaded to view with your own as well as my eyes.
The Tent (if I mistake him not) is a sort of sly fellow, & would not
ily be busy in felling & lopping your Trees at his [?]
Derham was a Church of England clergyman and a natural philosopher, interested in nature, mathematics, and philosophy. He frequently requested medical advice from Sloane, and likely served as a physician to his family and parishioners (Marja Smolenaars, “Derham, William (1657-1735)”, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/7528, accessed 7 June 2011]).
Posted on April 23, 2017 by Amy Smith -
Montagu Bacon (1688-1749) was a clergyman of the Church of England and a writer.
Reference:
Arthur H. Grant, ‘Bacon, Montagu (1688–1749)’, rev. Philip Carter, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Oct 2007 http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/997 [accessed 12 May 2015]).
Dates: to
Occupation: Unknown
Relationship to Sloane:
Virtual International Authority File:
