Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Patrick Blair to Hans Sloane – February 1, 1714
Item info
Date: February 1, 1714
Author: Patrick Blair
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4043
Folio: ff. 223-224
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Language
English
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Library
British Library, London
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Categories
Library, Patronage, Philosophical Transactions, Scholarship
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Subjects
Books, Natural History, Publishing, Recommendations, Scotland, University of Aberdeen, University of St. Andrews
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Date (as written)
February 1, 1714
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Standardised date
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Origin (as written)
Edinbe [Edinburgh]
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Others mentioned
Alexander Geeky John Arbuthnot
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Patients mentioned
Original Page
Transcription
Blair informs Sloane that the universities of St Andrews and Aberdeen have acknowledged his ‘Natural History of Scotland’. He wants further recommendations before it is published. Blair requests issues of the Philosophical Transactions and asks that Sloane return the books he borrowed.
Patrick Blair was a botanist and surgeon whose papers were published in the Transactions. In 1715 Blair joined the Jacobite rebellion as a battle surgeon but was captured and condemned to death. He was visited by Sloane in prison in the hopes the latter might secure a pardon. Sloane was successful and the pardon arrived shortly before Blair’s scheduled execution (Anita Guerrini, Blair, Patrick (c.16801728), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/2568, accessed 31 May 2011]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Littleton Powys to Hans Sloane – January 16, 1713/14
Item info
Date: January 16, 1713/14
Author: Littleton Powys
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4043
Folio: ff. 220-221
Original Page
Transcription
Powys invites Sloane to dine with him, Sir Isaac Newton, and Dr Halley.
Sir Littleton Powys (1647-1732) was a judge during the reigns of Prince of Orange, Queen Anne, and George I. He was elected Fellow of the Royal Society in 1724 (Stuart Handley, “Powys, Sir Littleton (1647-1732)”, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/22678, accessed 17 June 2011]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
John Purcell to Hans Sloane – January 6, 1713/14
Item info
Date: January 6, 1713/14
Author: John Purcell
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4043
Folio: f. 217
Original Page
Transcription
Purcell sends a copy of his ‘A Treatise of the Cholick’ for Sloane’s consideration.
Purcell studied medicine at the University of Montpellier where he was a student of Pierre Chirac, a correspondent of Sloane’s. He published a “A Treatise of the Cholick” in 1714 and was admitted a member of the Royal College of Physicians, London in 1730 (Norman Moore, ‘Purcell, John (c.1674–1730)’, rev. Patrick Wallis, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/22895, accessed 17 June 2011]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Thomas Hearne to Hans Sloane – December 4, 1712/13
Item info
Date: December 4, 1712/13
Author: Thomas Hearne
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4043
Folio: f. 212
Original Page
Transcription
Hearne informs Sloane that he has been collecting payments for a book he published.
Thomas Hearne (bap. 1678, d. 1735) was an antiquary and diarist. He began working at the Bodleian Library in 1701. A nonjuror, his refusal to take an oath of allegiance to King George I led to his dismissal from the Bodleian in 1716. Hearne published the works of several English chroniclers (Theodor Harmsen, Hearne, Thomas (bap. 1678, d. 1735), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/12827, accessed 2 June 2011]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
William Musgrave Sr. to Hans Sloane – November 16, 1713
Item info
Date: November 16, 1713
Author: William Musgrave Sr.
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4043
Folio: ff. 210-211
Original Page
Transcription
Musgrave wants to know what came of the engravings he sent to Sloane.
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 Derham to Hans Sloane – November 6, 1713
Item info
Date: November 6, 1713
Author: William Derham
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4043
Folio: ff. 205-206
Original Page
Transcription
[fol. 206]
Sr Upm’r Nov: 6 1713
The Post being just ready to call
I can only tell you yt yesterday I discours-
ed Blatch about supervising your Farm,
who insisted on a Guinea pound, and
in his discourse speaking of the Poors
Lopping your wood by reason yt Te-
nant is at a great distance, I con-
sidered yt so is Blatch at too great
a distance also; & therefore [?] I will go
over one day or another, & try to
get the fellow at the Cock for less
if I can, who I will make enqui-
ry after is he will be faithfull
to you. In greatest hast lay my
scribble
Yours most affectionately
The post calls. W. 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 (16571735), 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 -
John McBride to Hans Sloane – November 3, 1713
Item info
Date: November 3, 1713
Author: John McBride
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4043
Folio: ff. 202-203
Original Page
Transcription
McBride’s last letter was sent from Scotland with Mr McCracken. McBride recommends the bearer, James Anderson, and asks Sloane to help the man find a position as an apothecary’s journeyman. Dr Ferguson wrote a letter of recommendation as well. See: Sloane MS 4043 fols. 200-201.
John McBride (ca. 1650-1718) was Minister of the Presbyterian General Synod of Ulster and a religious controversialist (D. W. Hayton, ‘McBride, John (c.1650–1718)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/17361, accessed 14 June 2011]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
John Woodward to Hans Sloane – October 19, 1713
Item info
Date: October 19, 1713
Author: John Woodward
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4043
Folio: f. 196
Original Page
Transcription
[fol. 196] Gresh. Coll. 19. Oct. 1713. Sr I am wrote to, from abroad, for a Sample of the Scotch Amisanthus mention Philos. Trans. N. 276. I have non of it. In Case you have a little to Spare, you will oblige me by sending it me. I shall be very forward in makeing you the like Return: or Serveing you in any other Thing in my Power. I am Sr. Your most humble Servant 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 -
John Morton to Hans Sloane – October 12, 1713
Item info
Date: October 12, 1713
Author: John Morton
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4043
Folio: ff. 189-190
Original Page
Transcription
Morton sends fossils from Northamptonshire. He would like to publish an abstract in the Philosophical Transactions apropos the natural history of Northamptonshire. When he last saw Dr Thorpe the man was trying to attain the letters of the late Mr Lhwyd.
John Morton was a naturalist who was in correspondence with Sloane from roughly 1703 to 1716. Morton contributed nearly one thousand specimens (fossils, shells, bones, teeth, minerals, rocks, man-made artifacts, etc.) to Sloane’s collection (Yolanda Foote, Morton, John (16711726), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, May 2010 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/19364, accessed 2 July 2013]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
John Arbuthnot to Hans Sloane – October 2, 1713
Item info
Date: October 2, 1713
Author: John Arbuthnot
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4043
Folio: ff. 187-188
Original Page
Transcription
Arbuthnot informs Sloane that a clergyman named Mr Berkley is traveling to Sicily with Lord P. He would like to know if Berkley can do anything for the Royal Society during his trip.
Arbuthnot was a physician and satirist most famous for his John Bull pamphlets which led to the character becoming a national symbol (Angus Ross, Arbuthnot , John (bap. 1667, d. 1735), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/610, accessed 14 June 2011]).