Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Christopher Wren to Hans Sloane – September 21, 1710
Item info
Date: September 21, 1710
Author: Christopher Wren
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4042
Folio: ff. 179-180
Original Page
Transcription
Wren is looking to hire several workmen to make the ‘necessary repairs of the House’. He assures Sloane the work will be undertaken promptly. Wren will be in London ‘next week’ to answer Sloane’s questions.
Sir Christopher Wren was an architect, mathematician, astronomer, and member of the Royal Society (Kerry Downes, Wren, Sir Christopher (16321723), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, May 2009 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/30019, accessed 3 June 2011]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Samuel Dale to Hans Sloane – October 29, 1698
Item info
Date: October 29, 1698
Author: Samuel Dale
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4037
Folio: f. 148
Original Page
Transcription
Dale had written Sloane three weeks ago regarding some geological queries and has not received a response. He repeats his questions and requests any works related to the subject.
Samuel Dale was an apothecary, botanist, and physician who contributed several articles to the Philosophical Transactions. He was John Ray’s executor and good friend, and from Dale’s letters to Sloane we learn many details of Ray’s final moments (G. S. Boulger, Dale, Samuel (bap. 1659, d. 1739), rev. Juanita Burnby, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/7016, accessed 5 July 2013]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
John Ray to Hans Sloane – July 7, 1697
Item info
Date: July 7, 1697
Author: John Ray
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4036
Folio: ff. 328-329
Original Page
Transcription
Ray thanks Sloane for the plant specimens and for answering his botanical questions.
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 -
Henry Hyde, 2nd Earl of Clarendon to Hans Sloane – March 13th 1733/4
Item info
Date: March 13th 1733/4
Author: Henry Hyde, 2nd Earl of Clarendon
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4053
Folio: f. 180
Original Page
Transcription
Hyde writes that upon his enquiry, he found that Madame Boromer is only a countess. He says he would have endeavoured to call upon Sloane, but has been too consumed with business. He asks Sloane to admit the Lady according to the custom of the society, for which he will be much obliged. He closes with a note that he will visit soon, sooner if Sloane has any questions about this matter.
Henry Hyde, 2nd Earl of Clarendon, was a politician who served as Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland under James II. He went into self-imposed exile to avoid arrest after falling on the wrong side of the Glorious Revolution (1688), but returned to parliamentary politics in the 1690s (W. A. Speck, Hyde, Henry, second earl of Clarendon (16381709), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2012 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/14329, accessed 9 July 2013]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Godfrey Copley to Hans Sloane – December 30, 1700
Item info
Date: December 30, 1700
Author: Godfrey Copley
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4038
Folio: ff. 115-116
Original Page
Transcription
Copley has not asked his Lord the questions Sloane forwarded to help Copley find a suitable governor. Copley states that he believes his Lord’s last governor was a military man. He relays the dates that he will be in town and hopes to meet with Sloane. He is glad Mr Halley has returned home.
Sir Godfrey Copley was a politician and active member of the Royal Society. He was elected a Fellow of the latter in 1691 (C. I. McGrath, Copley, Sir Godfrey, second baronet (c.16531709), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/6269, accessed 24 June 2013]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Richard Bradley to Hans Sloane – September 22, 1727
Item info
Date: September 22, 1727
Author: Richard Bradley
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4049
Folio: ff. 31-32
Original Page
Transcription
Bradley informs Sloane that he needs stamps ‘or Else the paper can not be printed by Tuesday’. He has already purchased his ‘Weekly paper as far as No. XII’, but needs to borrow money to pay for the stamps so the papers can be sent out. Mr Pinchback is out of town and Bradley cannot purchase the stamps himself. If Sloane has any questions he is to ask the carrier. A note in Sloane’s hand reads ‘sent him a guinea’.
Richard Bradley (1688?-1732) was a scientific author, Fellow of the Royal Society, and Professor of Botany at Cambridge (Frank N. Egerton, “Bradley, Richard (1688?-1732)”, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, May 2005 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/3189, accessed 10 Nov 2012]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
David Hartley to Hans Sloane – February 9th 1733/4
Item info
Date: February 9th 1733/4
Author: David Hartley
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4053
Folio: f. 163
Original Page
Transcription
Hartley writes to Sloane thanking him for his letter last year and would like to acquaint him with the success they had with an Inoculation. There were four persons who received the operation, one of which went through the distemper very well and is now (with the others) in perfect health. The town is now free of the infection for half a year and the account of people who died of it was no more than one in eleven.
David Hartley, (bap.1705, d.1757), philosopher and physician. Practiced medicine in Newark after obtaining a BA and MA from Jesus College, Cambridge. He was interested in inoculations for small pox and published on the controversial subject. (Richard C. Allen, ‘Hartley, David (bap. 1705, d. 1757)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/12494, accessed 14 Aug 2015])
Posted on August 18, 2017 by Tallulah Pepperell -
Dates: to
Occupation: Unknown
Relationship to Sloane:
Virtual International Authority File:
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
William Derham to Hans Sloane – December 13, 1708
Item info
Date: December 13, 1708
Author: William Derham
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4041
Folio: ff. 255-256
Original Page
Transcription
[fol. 256]
Sr Upmr Dec: 13 1708
Last night Ned Luckin (the man yt lives next your
House at Orset) lay here, & tells me an odd story of
your House in Rotten-row, wch I cant forbear but tell
you of, viz That it hath been for divers years haunt-
ed, & that he himself hath heard the noises therein
when no body lived in it. The people that live in it
now, & yt lived therein before receive disturbances
constantly every night by great rumbling in the
chambers, dashing the Doors open, & shutting them wth
me, that the womans Spinning-wheel (standing by her
[bed]-side in the room they ly) is whirled about as
if they spun, yt the warming-pan hanging by her
bed-side is rattled & rung; that a woman who lay
in the one of the Chambers lately had the clothes
pulled off her bed perpetually, & putting out his
hand to pull them on, she felt a cold hand
take her by her hand, as she hold Lucking, with
a great deal more to this purpose, too much
to be now related, by reason the P. Post stays for
me. You being a very curious man, I wish you
would come, & we would go, & ly there a night
When I see you (wch not till Xmas is past) I will tell you more
unless you will be persuaded to come in the holydays & hear &
see what your house affords our curiosity. In greatest hast
Sr Your most obliged humble servt
Wm Derham
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 August 2, 2016 by -
William Sherard to Hans Sloane – May 3, 1692
Item info
Date: May 3, 1692
Author: William Sherard
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4036
Folio: ff. 119-120
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Language
English
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Library
British Library, London
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Categories
Collections, Scholarship, Travel
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Subjects
Ireland, Jamaica, Plants, Portugal, Post, Publishing, Seeds, Shells, Shipping, Specimens, Trees
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Date (as written)
May 3, 1692
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Standardised date
-
Origin (as written)
Moyra [Moira, County Down, Ireland]
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Others mentioned
James Sherard Robert Uvedale Jacob Bobart Arthur Rawdon Dr P. Paul Hermann
-
Patients mentioned
Original Page
Transcription
James Harlow returned to Carrickfergus ‘wth 20 cases of shrubs & trees each containing above 50’. He brought 6 shells, dried plants, and he has a large collections of ferns. Harlow had few ‘herbaceous things & grasses’ and not above 100 seeds. Harlow and Sherard sent the entire collection to London and Sherard asks Sloane to see if it has arrived. One box was sent from Jamaica with Mr Morris, but the latter was forced to return to the island because the ship ‘sprung a leak’. Another box was ‘directed to Sr Arthur Rawdon to some Capt yt proceeded on ye voyage’. Neither Sherard nor Harlow remember the name of the ship Rawdon’s cargo is on, but Sherard asks Sloane to see if the package is arrived. Sloane is to communicate the same message to Dr Herman, Dr Uvedale, Mr Bobart, and Mr London. Sloane can also ask Sherard’s brother to help with the task. Sherard has a collection of dried specimens for Sloane to examine. One ‘Dr P’ was working on a new botanical treatise, the third volume in the series, but to finish the book Dr P needs to examine one of Sherard’s Portuguese plants. A fern Sherard gathered in Madeira is of particular interest, for he thinks it unique and will send Sloane a sample of it. Sherard drank to Sloane’s health with Captain James Bayley.
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]).
