Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Johann Philipp Breyne to Hans Sloane – November 16, 1726
Item info
Date: November 16, 1726
Author: Johann Philipp Breyne
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4048
Folio: ff. 214-215
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Language
English
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Library
British Library, London
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Categories
Collections, Material Culture, Patronage, Philosophical Transactions, Scholarship, Social, Trade or Commodities
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Subjects
Amber, Anatomy, Books, Fraud, Inoculation, Natural History, Publishing, Smallpox, Specimens
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Date (as written)
November 16, 1726
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Standardised date
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Origin (as written)
Dantz
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Others mentioned
Dr Hook Johann Jakob Scheuchzer James Petiver Dr Sherard
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Patients mentioned
Original Page
Transcription
Breyne sent some recently published treatises to Dr Sherard, who is supposed to pass them on to Sloane. He thanks Sloane for his letter of September 20, the Philosophical Transactions, the late Dr Hook’s book, and his comments on smallpox inoculation, which convinced Breyne to have his children inoculated. He hopes to acquire the works of Mr Petiver. Breyne puts himself at the service of Dr Scheuchzer. He warns Sloane about the authenticity of natural historical specimens and claims to have been duped several times. A portion of the letter is in Latin. One of the books Breyne has sent outlines the ‘Generation of Amber’. He is going to collect plants for Sloane and edit a new edition of his father’s book. Breyne discusses some ‘Plates relating to Anatomy’.
Johann Philipp Breyne (1680-1764) was a German botanist, zoologist, and entomologist known primarily for his work on the Polish cochineal, or Porphyrophora polonica, used in red dye production. He became a fellow of the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina in 1715 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Philipp_Breyne).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Henry Elking to Hans Sloane – November 16, 1726
Item info
Date: November 16, 1726
Author: Henry Elking
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4048
Folio: ff. 216-217
Original Page
Transcription
Elking was glad to hear that Sloane values the Greenland specimens he sent. Sloane sent Elking both volumes of the Natural History of Jamaica as thanks. Elking is glad to be of service to Sloane. For more information on the exchange, see: Sloane MS 4048, fols. 183-184.
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Thomas Onslow to Hans Sloane – December 4, 1726
Item info
Date: December 4, 1726
Author: Thomas Onslow
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4048
Folio: ff. 227-228
Original Page
Transcription
[fol. 227]
Sr
The report of a Woman’s breeding of Rabbits has almost alarm’d England and in a Manner persuaded severall people of sound Judgm:t of that truth; I have been at some pains to Discover the Affair, and think I have Conquerd My poynt; as you will se by the Depotition [sic] taken before Me, which shall be published in a Day or Two I am
Sr
Yr Hume Servant
Onslow
Clandon Decemr 4th 1726
Thomas Onslow, 2nd Baron Onslow (1679-1740) inherited his title from his father Richard Onslow in 1717. He commissioned Clandon Park in the 1730s (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Onslow,_2nd_Baron_Onslow).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Zabdiel Boylston to Hans Sloane – December 14, 1726
Item info
Date: December 14, 1726
Author: Zabdiel Boylston
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4048
Folio: f. 238
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Language
English
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Library
British Library, London
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Categories
Collections, Curiosity Reports, Medical, Patronage, Scholarship, Travel
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Subjects
America, Animals, Horses, Inoculation, Recommendations, Smallpox, Stones, Voyaging
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Date (as written)
December 14, 1726
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Standardised date
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Origin (as written)
Boston, New England
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Others mentioned
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Patients mentioned
Original Page
Transcription
Boylston arrived in New England after ‘a long & Expensive voyage’. He thanks Sloane for his many favours and promises to send any curiosities he finds in New England. Boylston has enclosed a stone ‘out of a Gelding […] of about 17 years old’. It was removed just after he had left for London. The ‘Gelding’, or horse, was in pain for two weeks before it died. He was active, ‘fatt & lively’ before his illness. The first sign of sickness was a painful fit, ‘which lasted 2 or three days’. This pain subsided and he returned to riding and other activities, but ‘a week or ten days’ later the pain returned and he died shortly thereafter. It is thought that the stone removed from him was unrelated to the cause of death. The stone was found in his stomach. ‘When first taken out it weighed five pounds about Eight ounces, it now weighs but five pounds six ounces & seven drachms, and measures round one way, seventeen inches & 3 q’rs’. Many people have come to see the large stone, but Boylston thinks it would be best to give it to Sloane. He has not encountered any controversy for his publication on smallpox. The bearer is his nephew, Edward Boylston, who would appreciate a recommendation.
Zabdiel Boylston (1679-1766) was a physician famous for his inoculation of roughly 250 people during the smallpox epidemic of Boston in 1721. His method of inoculation was controversial because it was based on African practices. In 1724 Boylston traveled to London where he published the ‘Historical Account of the Small-Pox Inoculated in New England’. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1726 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zabdiel_Boylston).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Catherine Sabina Stevens to Hans Sloane – April 5, 1727
Item info
Date: April 5, 1727
Author: Catherine Sabina Stevens
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4048
Folio: f. 277
Original Page
Transcription
Stevens reminds Sloane that he met her brother John. She writes in memory of Mr Kiligrae, informing Sloane of some shells in her possession. Stevens does not know when they were collected, only that it was her eldest brother, the commander of a ship of war, who gathered them. She suggests that it was before 1699. Stevens has little use for the shells and is willing to show them to Sloane.
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Johann Georg Steigertahl to Hans Sloane – July 29, 1727
Item info
Date: July 29, 1727
Author: Johann Georg Steigertahl
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4049
Folio: ff. 12-13
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Language
French
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Library
British Library, London
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Categories
Government, Library, Philosophical Transactions, Royal Society, Scholarship, Social, Trade or Commodities
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Subjects
Books, History, Japan, Royal Family
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Date (as written)
July 29, 1727
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Standardised date
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Origin (as written)
Hannover
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Others mentioned
George I Baron de Goert Monsieur Bapteme [?] Monsieur de Mausberg George II Johann Jakob Scheuchzer Mr Hattorf Philip Henry Zollman Engelbert Kaempfer
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Patients mentioned
Original Page
Transcription
Steigertahl was consoled by Sloane’s letter, which lamented the death of George I. He writes that Sloane must be pleased to be so close to the new King, George II. Steigertahl believes his health will prevent him from returning to England, making it impossible to serve George II. For this reason he has withdrawn his service to the Crown. Steigertahl sends his regards to Sloane and thanks him for sending the Philosophical Transactions. Messieurs De Gort and De Mausberg send their compliments. A gentleman by the name of ‘Bapteme[?]’ is to be put on the Royal Society’s list. Sloane is to send regards to Dr Scheuchzer and Mr Matheson of Hamburg, the latter being responsible for the German edition of the late Engelbert Kaempfer’s ‘Histoire du Japan’. Mr Zollman mentioned the book to Steigertahl in his letter. Mr Schlüter is to deliver books to Sloane from Hattorf’s library in Steigertahl’s absence.
Johann Georg Steigertahl (1666-1740) was the personal physician to George I of England. He was a member of the Royal Society and secured the purchase of Engelbert Kaempfer’s collection of East Asian curiosities for Sir Hans Sloane in 1723 (http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Georg_Steigerthal).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Louis Leon Pajot, Comte d' Ons-en-Bray to Hans Sloane – March 3, 1728
Item info
Date: March 3, 1728
Author: Louis Leon Pajot, Comte d' Ons-en-Bray
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4049
Folio: f. 125
Original Page
Transcription
Pajot received Sloane’s letter of thanks for the seeds sent by De Jussieu. He assures Sloane that he forwarded the letters to Abbé Bignon and De Jussieu.
Louis Leon Pajot (1678-1753) was a Parisian physician. He collected natural and mechanical curiosities, which attracted many visitors including Peter the Great. He made contributions to the Memoires de l’Academie des Sciences and was of member of the said organization (Gaspard Monge, Jean-Dominique Cassini, Pierre Bertholon, and Jean-Henri Hassenfratz, ‘Encyclopedie methodique ou par ordre de matieres: dictionnaire de physique, Volume 4’ (Hotel de Thou, 1822), 231).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Jean-Paul Bignon to Hans Sloane – August 29, 1727
Item info
Date: August 29, 1727
Author: Jean-Paul Bignon
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4049
Folio: ff. 24-25
Original Page
Transcription
Abbé Bignon thanks Sloane for his letter and assures him that his orders have been carried out. He praises Sloane’s commitment to natural history and medicine. Bignon suggests that an unspecified piece of writing, sent with this letter, should be published.
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 August 2, 2016 by -
Johann Georg Steigertahl to Hans Sloane – September 19, 1727
Item info
Date: September 19, 1727
Author: Johann Georg Steigertahl
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4049
Folio: ff. 29-30
Original Page
Transcription
Steigertahl was reading the work of the numismatist Mr Evelyn when he came across a medal of ‘la Reyne Marie I, la Catholique Romaine avec l’Inscription Fidei Defensatrix’. He discusses the mottos of Charles I, Charles II, and William and Mary. Steigertahl thanks God that His Royal Highness is well and hopes the Royal Family remains in good health. Mrs Steigertahl sends her compliments.
Johann Georg Steigertahl (1666-1740) was the personal physician to George I of England. He was a member of the Royal Society and secured the purchase of Engelbert Kaempfer’s collection of East Asian curiosities for Sir Hans Sloane in 1723 (http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Georg_Steigerthal).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
John Burnet to Hans Sloane – October 2, 1727
Item info
Date: October 2, 1727
Author: John Burnet
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4049
Folio: f. 41
Original Page
Transcription
Burnet voyaged from Cartagena to Kingston. He asks for Sloane’s patronage and encloses a box with ‘some shells &c.’
John Burnet worked for the South Sea Company in the West Indies and later served as the Physician to King Philip V of Spain.