Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
John Hudson to Hans Sloane – January 9, 1702/03
Item info
Date: January 9, 1702/03
Author: John Hudson
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4039
Folio: ff. 65-66
Original Page
Transcription
Hudson thanks Sloane for the box of books. He will have Mr Hartley make a catalogue of all the books Sloane has provided. Hudson is considering doing an edition of ‘Nicander’, but only if the Royal Society or the College of Physicians is interested.
John Hudson (1662-1719) was elected librarian of the Bodleian Library in 1701. He corresponded with numerous scholars and librarians, both in England and abroad (Theodor Harmsen, Hudson, John (16621719), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2013 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/14034, accessed 27 June 2013]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
William Cowper to Hans Sloane – January 6, 1702/03
Item info
Date: January 6, 1702/03
Author: William Cowper
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4039
Folio: ff. 63-64
Original Page
Transcription
Cowper encloses drawings of the human body’s blood vessels and nerves from the tables at the Royal Society Repository. He discusses anatomical works and hopes the Royal Society is pleased with the illustrations.
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 -
Arthur Charlett to Hans Sloane – January 6, 1702/03
Item info
Date: January 6, 1702/03
Author: Arthur Charlett
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4039
Folio: ff. 61-62
Original Page
Transcription
Charlett has set a young scholar to work on an Almanack. He received Sloane’s ‘Specimen of the Survey of the Danube’ from Mr Sherwin, but has yet to receive the box of books.
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 1 June 2011]).
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 -
Charles Preston to Hans Sloane – December 22, 1702
Item info
Date: December 22, 1702
Author: Charles Preston
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4039
Folio: ff. 55-56
-
Language
English
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Library
British Library, London
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Categories
Curiosity Reports, Medical, Patronage, Scholarship, Scientific, Trade or Commodities
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Subjects
Academie des sciences, Books, Botany, Circulatory System, Drugs, Specimens
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Date (as written)
December 22, 1702
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Standardised date
-
Origin (as written)
Edr [Edinburgh]
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Others mentioned
-
Patients mentioned
Unnamed (Woman)
Original Page
Transcription
Preston sends Sloane a book in return for his many favours. He discusses botany, the translation of the Academie Royale’s works, the circulation of blood, and sends the powder of a highly flammable substance for Sloane to examine. He asks how to go about purchasing the drug cassumunar on behalf of his brother.
Preston was a physician and botanist who established a lengthy correspondence with Sloane, exchanging plants, seeds, books and information. His main interest was in botany, and was well-known by his contemporaries for his botanical knowledge (Anita Guerrini, Preston, Charles (16601711), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/47084, accessed 1 June 2011]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Charles Preston to Hans Sloane – December 21, 1702
Item info
Date: December 21, 1702
Author: Charles Preston
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4039
Folio: f. 52
Original Page
Transcription
Preston reminds Sloane that he has not received any response from him. He stresses that he is at Sloane’s service and asks only that he is apprised of botanical news.
Preston was a physician and botanist who established a lengthy correspondence with Sloane, exchanging plants, seeds, books and information. His main interest was in botany, and was well-known by his contemporaries for his botanical knowledge (Anita Guerrini, Preston, Charles (16601711), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/47084, accessed 1 June 2011]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Charles Preston to Hans Sloane – November 5, 1702
Item info
Date: November 5, 1702
Author: Charles Preston
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4039
Folio: ff. 39-40
Original Page
Transcription
Preston thanks Sloane for the return of his box of fossils and gives his regards to the Royal Society. He describes an extraordinary swordfish – allegedly nine and a half feet long – and details its anatomy and appearance. Preston discusses a fish he saw in a small village outside of Edinburgh. He thanks Sloane for the Philosophical Transactions and informs him of Sibbald’s new book.
Preston was a physician and botanist who established a lengthy correspondence with Sloane, exchanging plants, seeds, books and information. His main interest was in botany, and was well-known by his contemporaries for his botanical knowledge (Anita Guerrini, Preston, Charles (16601711), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/47084, accessed 1 June 2011]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Godfrey Copley to Hans Sloane – October 6, 1705
Item info
Date: October 6, 1705
Author: Godfrey Copley
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4040
Folio: ff. 73-74
Original Page
Transcription
A small pot of Roman coins was discovered 3 miles away. The pot was whole, but it was damaged when the labourer was digging it up. The coins are 1200 to 1300 years old. Copley and Thoresby possess most of them.
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 -
James Fraser to Hans Sloane – October 25, 1702
Item info
Date: October 25, 1702
Author: James Fraser
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4039
Folio: f. 38
Original Page
Transcription
Fraser waited on Sir Isaac Newton, who was in possession of a branch from China called ‘Manga-paha with the Leaves and fruits full ripe’. He describes the branch, its leaves, and fruit in detail.
James Fraser (1645-1731) was a book dealer with a formidable personal library (Brian Moffat, ‘Fraser, James (1645–1731)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/73233, accessed 11 May 2015]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Thomas Tanner to Hans Sloane – October 19, 1702
Item info
Date: October 19, 1702
Author: Thomas Tanner
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4039
Folio: ff. 35-36
Original Page
Transcription
[fol. 35]
Honored Sir,
The bearer Mr More has
for [the] great part of this summer applyed
himself wth unwearied diligence on the
Sea Coast of Norfolk and Suffolk in search
of Shells, Marine Plants and other Natural
Curiosities. Upon discourse wth him you’l
be able to make the best judgemt of his
Abilities; I believe he’s very honest and
willing to take pains, so that he may be
usefull to you or some other of the Society if
you should have occasion to send any person
into any part of the world on any searches of
this nature. I remain wth a due sense
of your many favors
Sir
Your very much obliged
humble servt
Thom. Tanner
Norwich
Oct. 19. 1702.
Thomas Tanner was the Bishop of St Asaph, an antiquary, and scholar. He was an associate of Arthur Charlett, another Sloane correspondent and Master of University College, Oxford. He left academic life at Oxford in 1698 to take up a clerical position at Norwich, which led to a career in the Church (Richard Sharp, Tanner, Thomas (16741735), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, May 2006 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/26963, accessed 4 July 2013]).