Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Richard Middleton Massey to Hans Sloane – August 22, 1721
Item info
Date: August 22, 1721
Author: Richard Middleton Massey
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4046
Folio: ff. 122-123
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Language
English
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Library
British Library, London
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Categories
Collections, Library, Material Culture, Philosophical Transactions, Royal College of Physicians, Trade or Commodities
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Subjects
Apothecaries, Art, Books, Botany, Coins, Paintings
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Date (as written)
August 22, 1721
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Standardised date
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Origin (as written)
Wisbech
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Others mentioned
Mr Innys Joseph Pitton de Tournefort
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Patients mentioned
Original Page
Transcription
Massey thanks Sloane for sending the Philosophical Transactions with Mr Innys. He has been ‘drawing after my fashion the flowers of seeds and plants in water colours […] I partly copy after Tournefort’. Massey occupies his time with painting and examining his ‘small collection of Roman Coins’. He ‘laid out fifty guinneas in books being the conjoyn librarys of a french and English Clergyman at Thorney abbey’. The postscript reads: ‘Some Apothecarys in my neighborhood have a notion they may easily for a little mony be admitted by the colledge ad Practicanda. I hope through yr means to prevent those who have no just qualification’. Massey includes a list of books, indicating the title, location of its publication, and date.
Richard Middleton Massey (1678-1743) attended Brasenose College, Oxford but left before obtaining a degree. In 1706 he was admitted Extra-Licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians and settled in Wisbech where he practiced medicine. Massey was elected Fellow of the Royal Society in 1712. He compiled the catalogue of the library of the Royal College of Physicians in 1727 (http://munksroll.rcplondon.ac.uk/Biography/Details/2969).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
John Wynter to Hans Sloane – October 28, 1721
Item info
Date: October 28, 1721
Author: John Wynter
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4046
Folio: ff. 142-143
Original Page
Transcription
[fol. 142]
Honed. Sir.
I have the Honour of your very kind Letter of ye 19th. I thank you extreamly for your Friendship: since ye favour of yours I have one from Mr. Molyneux wch brings me His Graces Comands to repair to London as soon as I can conveniently, wch. will prevent me obeying your Directions in relation to sending a Catalogue, but will endeavour to find so much time as to bring it finish’d with me. I am very sensible of ye great Humanity you please to treat me with, and shall always be happy in shewing myself Hon.ed Sir Your most oblig’d humble servant John Wynter Oct ye 28 1721
John Wynter was the Duke of Portland’s physician.
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Christopher Hamond to Hans Sloane – November 15, 1721
Item info
Date: November 15, 1721
Author: Christopher Hamond
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4046
Folio: ff. 148-149
Original Page
Transcription
[fol. 148]
Sr. Hans
A Gentlewoman in my Neighbourhood having lately Miscaried, is desirous to take some rules to prevent ye like againe, & I Intreat the favour of you to Call at my House ye first time you come this way & Ill wait upon you to her who am Yor very Obliged Humble Servt Chr Hamond Crutched Fryars Wednesday morning ye 15. Novembr. 1721
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Luigi Ferdinando Marsigli to Hans Sloane – March 17, 1722
Item info
Date: March 17, 1722
Author: Luigi Ferdinando Marsigli
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4046
Folio: ff. 215-216
Original Page
Transcription
Marsigli complains that the voyage from London to Amsterdam was uncomfortable. He is viewing the cabinets of Amsterdam, which feature many shells and insects. Mr Renys is deaf, making it difficult to speak with him: ‘il faut se tuer a luy parler’. Marsigli has not yet found ‘un Recueil pour Lhistoire naturelle’.
Count Luigi Ferdinando Marsigli (1658-1730) was an Italian soldier and naturalist. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1691. Marsigli published several books, established a printing-house, and founded an Institute of Sciences and Arts in 1715 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luigi_Ferdinando_Marsili).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Benjamin Habakkuk Jackson to Hans Sloane – June 21, 1723
Item info
Date: June 21, 1723
Author: Benjamin Habakkuk Jackson
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4047
Folio: ff. 9-10
Original Page
Transcription
[fol. 9]
London June 21st 1723
Sr
I Thankfully Acknowledg your favour in being Willing to Introduce me to the Royall Society to shew my swimming Invention and Quadrant and I should have been there to have waited upon them Yesterday; But before I Do that I was willing to make the Following proposal to your self.
That, whereas I have a Pattent for these Swimming Invention which is Universally approv’d, upon many Tryalls in the Water, as sufficient to Preserve Life, in all Cases of Shipwreck at Sea, And the Cramps, and all other accidents in swimming for Pleasure, whereby there will be A Call for a vast Number of ’em, and it will Require a great Stock, to Carry on the Makeing of ’em, than I have to Employ therein.
If You shall think fitt to find Stock for the Purpose, I shall be willing to Manage the Makeing and Sale of the Swimmers on your account, by vertue of the Priviledg of my Pattent, and shall be Content with A Reasonable Part of the Proffit, upon that account of my mannagement.
If you are Pleasd to take this into your Consideration, There May a very Great Proffit arise without any Hazard Imediately without any Delay, the season being Now come for this work; And this Matter shall be Settled to your full satisfaction. Sr I shall soon wait for you on this account, And am with all Due Respects
Sr Your most Humble Servant
B.H. Jackson.
Posted on August 2, 2016 by Lisa Smith -
Katherine Lowther to Hans Sloane – May 2, 1739
Item info
Date: May 2, 1739
Author: Katherine Lowther
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4076
Folio: f. 48
Original Page
Transcription
(f. 48)
Meabourn May
ye. 2d
1739
S
r:
As im informed that my
son at Mary=bon School has lately had a little
looseness so M
r: Lowther & I cant help fearing
the Consequence of such frequent returns & there=
=fore thought it proper to aquaint you that
we are very apprehensive that all his Dis=
=orders proceeds from worms, as he us’d to
be troub
d: w
th. them, & has sometimes voided
them, & the last year he had the same Symp=
=toms, they tell me he now has, & upon takeing
some Quicksilver water the child recover’d
his looks & was much better, which makes
us desire that you w
d. see him & order him
what you think proper for him to take, wch
will very much oblige M
r: Lowther as well
as
Sr: your Most Obedient
Humb: Sert:
K. Lowther
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Charles Maitland to Hans Sloane – August 8, 1721
Item info
Date: August 8, 1721
Author: Charles Maitland
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4076
Folio: f. 96
Original Page
Transcription
Fol. 96
Honoured Sir
This comes to give you notice that the operation of inoculating the smallpox on the prisoners in Newgate is to be performed tomorrow morning about nyne o’clock, At which time your presence there will be very acceptable to
Honoured Sir
Yours most obedient
humble servant
Cha: Maitland
Charles Maitland (1668-1748) was a Scottish surgeon who, with Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, introduced smallpox inoculation to England. His first demonstration was to the Royal College of Physician in 1721. Then in 1722 an experiment was carried out on six prisoners at Newgate Prison under the direction of Sir Hans Sloane (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Maitland_(physician).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Charles Hatton to Hans Sloane – June 25, 1700
Item info
Date: June 25, 1700
Author: Charles Hatton
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4038
Folio: f. 26
Original Page
Transcription
Hatton was happy to hear the Charter House chose an apothecary. The hospital will be pleased with ‘The universally approved choice’ and the vacancies will hopefully be filled by qualified persons sometime soon.
Charles Hatton was the son of Christopher Hatton, 1st Baron Hatton and brother of Christopher Hatton, 1st Viscount Hatton [Sir Bernard Burke, C.B. LL.D., A Genealogical History of the Dormant, Abeyant, Forfeited, and Extinct Peerages of the British Empire, new edition (1883; reprint, Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1978), page 269].
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
William Hobbs to Hans Sloane – July 16, 1709
Item info
Date: July 16, 1709
Author: William Hobbs
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4042
Folio: f. 13
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Language
English
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Library
British Library, London
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Categories
Collections, Philosophical Transactions, Royal Society, Scholarship, Scientific
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Subjects
Geology, Oceanography, Papers, Publishing, Shells, Specimens
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Date (as written)
July 16, 1709
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Standardised date
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Origin (as written)
Near ye Bear Inn in Weymouth
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Others mentioned
Sir Isaac Newton
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Patients mentioned
Original Page
Transcription
Hobbs thanks Sloane for letting him know that the papers he left with Sir Isaac Newton were registered with the Royal Society. He would like to know if the paper has been accepted or rejected by the Society. He conveys three points vis-a-vis the paper: (1) perhaps another author could prove the rocks would dissolve; (2) ‘That the Moon is not the cause of the Flowing of the ocean’; (3) that the earth’s rotation ‘is the principle cause of the Trade Windes Monsoons &c.’ Hobbs apologizes for potentially contradicting other commentators. He writes of his experience in examining shells and how they came to lie on the shore in relation to the ocean’s tides. He sends ‘3 or 4 minnerall Impressions’ of interest.
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Philip Henry Zollman to Hans Sloane – November 23, 1725
Item info
Date: November 23, 1725
Author: Philip Henry Zollman
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4048
Folio: f. 92
Original Page
Transcription
[fol. 92]
Stockholm 23d Nov. 1725. O.S.
Sir
Since the sailing of the ship, of which I sent you advice by the Post on the 17th inst:t Dr Benzelius desired me to forward the inclosed Trimestre Secumdum 1725, which accordingly I do my Messenger as far as Hanover.
I also send enclosed an Extract of a voyage to Japan which I met with lately in an Auction in the Swedish Tongue. You will be best able to find out whether it ever appeared in any other language, particularly the second part, and consequently if so, I expect your opinion and commands about translating it into English and adding it to Kampfer’s Book. It would give an opportunity to try how much I have improved in this Country’s language. I have not yet been able to supply the defect in the Lapponian Prayerbook. I beg most humbly excuse for this short Letter, and leave to assure Dr Scheuchzer of my best respects and good wishes for the success of his work. I am with the greatest veneration
Sir
Your most humble and
most obedient servant
Ph.H. Zollman
Philip Henry Zollman (c. 1680-1748) was the Royal Society’s first Assistant Secretary for Foreign Correspondence, a post he assumed in 1723. He first landed in England in 1714, was trained in several foreign languages, and regularly corresponded with Leibniz (Derek Massarell, ‘Philip Henry Zollman, the Royal Society’s First Assistant Secretary for Foreign Correspondence’, Notes and Records of the Royal Society of London 46, no. 2 (1992), 219-234).