Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Godfrey Copley to Hans Sloane – September 26, 1706
Item info
Date: September 26, 1706
Author: Godfrey Copley
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4040
Folio: ff. 225-226
Original Page
Transcription
Copley discovered a willow in Mr Arthington’s yard much like the one Sloane described. He will try to send a specimen of it. Copley describes his travels with his wife, the death of Mr Kirk, and inquires after Mr Brydges.
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 -
Henry Aldrich to Hans Sloane – December 5, 1704
Item info
Date: December 5, 1704
Author: Henry Aldrich
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4039
Folio: ff. 399-400
Original Page
Transcription
Aldrich apologizes for not responding sooner. He was in London, not Oxford. He thanks Sloane for the respect and kindness he always shows Oxford.
Henry Aldrich was the Dean of Christ Church, Oxford, a center of Tory politics after the Glorious Revolution (1688). As a result Aldrich involved himself in controversial political debates (Stuart Handley, Aldrich, Henry (16481710), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/314, accessed 9 July 2013]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Samuel Dale to Hans Sloane – February 23, 1704/05
Item info
Date: February 23, 1704/05
Author: Samuel Dale
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4040
Folio: ff. 10-11
Original Page
Transcription
Dale is thankful that Sloane believes him capable of finishing Ray’s ‘History of Insects’. He will do so in service of the public and Mrs Ray, but he can only edit the English portions of the text. Once he is done cataloguing Ray’s library of more than 1000 books he will send it to Sloane.
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 -
Charles Preston to Hans Sloane – September 7, 1705
Item info
Date: September 7, 1705
Author: Charles Preston
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4040
Folio: ff. 63-64
Original Page
Transcription
Preston did not hear from Sloane, so he was glad to receive news from Dr Gregory. He is delighted that Gregory was admitted to the Royal College of Physicians. Preston is going to send some natural curiosities with Dr Sandilands. He encloses an abstract sent from Italy and discusses his travels. Mr Sutherland has donated his medals and books with a salary for the keeper.
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 – September 2, 1705
Item info
Date: September 2, 1705
Author: Charles Preston
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4040
Folio: f. 62
Original Page
Transcription
Preston sends some natural curiosities. He recommends the bearer, Dr Sandilands, who intends to study anatomy.
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 -
Ralph Thoresby to Hans Sloane – August 20, 1705
Item info
Date: August 20, 1705
Author: Ralph Thoresby
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4040
Folio: ff. 60-61
Original Page
Transcription
Thoresby sends fossils from Lancashire. He asks about Philosophical Transactions 245, regarding the Eruption of Waters in Craven. He and Mr Pollard do not believe the story. Thoresby lately received some Roman inscriptions.
Thoresby was an antiquary and topographer. He expanded his fathers Musaeum Thoresbyanum impressively, and his collection brought him into discussion with many important political and scholarly figures (P. E. Kell, Thoresby, Ralph (16581725), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Oct 2006 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/27334, accessed 27 June 2013]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Robert Sibbald to Hans Sloane – July 31, 1705
Item info
Date: July 31, 1705
Author: Robert Sibbald
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4040
Folio: f. 59
Original Page
Transcription
Sibbald’s friend Mr Hamilton sends fossils, shells, and sea plant specimens. He thanks Sloane for the specimens he sent.
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 -
Henry Hare, 2nd Baron Coleraine to Hans Sloane – July 17, 1705
Item info
Date: July 17, 1705
Author: Henry Hare, 2nd Baron Coleraine
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4040
Folio: f. 54
Original Page
Transcription
Hare offers a critique of a work on antiquity, though he needs to consult more sources. He disapproves of the author’s attacks on Weaver.
Henry Hare, 2nd Baron Coleraine, was MP for Old Sarum and although his privy chamber office ended with the death of Charles II, he held local offices in Middlesex through the 1680s and 90s. In 1705, he published ‘The History and antiquities of the town and church of Tottenham’ (Nicholas Doggett, Hare, Henry, second Baron Coleraine (bap. 1636, d. 1708), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/12299, accessed 8 July 2013]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
William Musgrave Sr. to Hans Sloane – July 16, 1705
Item info
Date: July 16, 1705
Author: William Musgrave Sr.
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4040
Folio: ff. 52-53
Original Page
Transcription
Musgrave thanks Sloane for lending the book. Mr Bash has died and left £10 for the Royal Society.
William Musgrave, Senior was a physician, antiquary, and Fellow of the Royal Society. He acted as second secretary to the Royal Society and edited several volumes of the Philosophical Transactions (Alick Cameron, Musgrave, William (16551721), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/19668, accessed 8 July 2013]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
William Musgrave Sr. to Hans Sloane – June 9, 1705
Item info
Date: June 9, 1705
Author: William Musgrave Sr.
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4040
Folio: ff. 37-38
Original Page
Transcription
Musgrave congratulates Sloane for his success with Mrs Hickes. He asks Sloane to procure a book from Dr Lister. Musgrave’s bookseller will wait on Sloane for it.
William Musgrave, Senior was a physician, antiquary, and Fellow of the Royal Society. He acted as second secretary to the Royal Society and edited several volumes of the Philosophical Transactions (Alick Cameron, Musgrave, William (16551721), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/19668, accessed 8 July 2013]).