Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
James Fraser to Hans Sloane – February 7, 1695/96
Item info
Date: February 7, 1695/96
Author: James Fraser
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4036
Folio: ff. 224-225
Original Page
Transcription
Fraser has been too busy to send anything as of late. To make up for an apparent mix-up Fraser offers to send Sloane a book of equivalent value or return the book he had in the first place.
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 -
Richard Richardson to Hans Sloane – September 10, 1721
Item info
Date: September 10, 1721
Author: Richard Richardson
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4046
Folio: ff. 130-131
Original Page
Transcription
Richardson writes of several people who suffered from the same ailment. It fell ‘chiefly amongst the poor people’. The epidemic killed many people. Patients have a ‘depressed pulse’ and ‘malignant fever’. The man who brought the illness from Lincolnshire is still alive, but has headaches. Richardson tried to contact the Consul, but he is traveling in France and Holland. He congratulates Sloane on the success of smallpox inoculation, noting that ‘it was practised in Asia long agoe’.
Richardson was a physician and botanist who traveled widely in England, Wales, and Scotland in search of rare specimens. He corresponded and exchanged plants with many well-known botanists and naturalists (W. P. Courtney, Richardson, Richard (16631741), rev. Peter Davis, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, May 2010 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/23576, accessed 31 May 2011]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Martin Lister to Hans Sloane – March 16, 1703
Item info
Date: March 16, 1703
Author: Martin Lister
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4039
Folio: f. 273
Original Page
Transcription
Martin Lister was a physician and naturalist who was honored by being appointed second physician to the queen in 1710. He wrote and published several medical and natural history works, some of which appeared in Philosophical Transactions, as well as serving as vice-president of the Royal Society briefly in 1685-1686 (J. D. Woodley, Lister, Martin (bap. 1639, d. 1712), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Oct 2008 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/16763, accessed 11 May 2011]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Richard Richardson to Hans Sloane – September 10, 1721
Item info
Date: September 10, 1721
Author: Richard Richardson
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4046
Folio: ff. 130-131
Original Page
Transcription
Richardson writes of several people who suffered from the same ailment. It fell ‘chiefly amongst the poor people’. The epidemic killed many people. Patients have a ‘depressed pulse’ and ‘malignant fever’. The man who brought the illness from Lincolnshire is still alive, but has headaches. Richardson tried to contact the Consul, but he is traveling in France and Holland. He congratulates Sloane on the success of smallpox inoculation, noting that ‘it was practised in Asia long agoe’.
Richardson was a physician and botanist who traveled widely in England, Wales, and Scotland in search of rare specimens. He corresponded and exchanged plants with many well-known botanists and naturalists (W. P. Courtney, Richardson, Richard (16631741), rev. Peter Davis, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, May 2010 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/23576, accessed 31 May 2011]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
John Douglas to Hans Sloane – December 7, 1722
Item info
Date: December 7, 1722
Author: John Douglas
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4046
Folio: ff. 314-315
Original Page
Transcription
[fol. 314]
Sr
I shall Cutt that Gentleman for
the Stone to morrow morning, therefore desire you
will be at my House against the Golden Falcon
in Fetter-Lane exactly at half an hour after Nine.
I am
yor most obed’t Serv’t
Jo: Douglas
Friday 7th
1722
John Douglas was a surgeon famous after 1719 for his method of removing stones. He published a book elucidating the procedure in 1720 and was appointed surgeon to Westminster Hospital in 1721 (Michael Bevan, Douglas, John (d. 1743), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/7907, accessed 18 July 2013]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
John Chamberlayne to Hans Sloane – November 22, 1719
Item info
Date: November 22, 1719
Author: John Chamberlayne
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4045
Folio: f. 266
Original Page
Transcription
Chamberlayne thanks Sloane for getting the ‘Bond’ for him, even though he has not yet paid his ‘Contribution Mony for this year’. He sent that money with Mr Bates. He asks what answer the Royal Society has for ‘Dr. Hierne a Swede’ who inquired as to what happened to the books he presented to the Royal Society. Chamberlayne wants to know if Sloane has any instructions for Mr Dudley regarding his ‘Maple-sugar’. He reminds Sloane that foreigners ought to be shown respect for all of the troubles they endure to contribute to the Royal Society. He asks if Sloane could ‘get the R.S. to subscribe to Mr Child’. Dr Harris got a subscription from ‘the College’.
John Chamberlayne was a translator and editor specializing in modern languages which he studied at the University of Leiden. He translated works on many topics, was a fellow of the Royal Society, and published three works in the Philsophical Transactions (Reavley Gair, Chamberlayne, John (1668/91723), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Oct 2009 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/5060, accessed 30 May 2011]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Richard Richardson to Hans Sloane – September 10, 1721
Item info
Date: September 10, 1721
Author: Richard Richardson
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4046
Folio: ff. 130-131
Original Page
Transcription
Richardson writes of several people who suffered from the same ailment. It fell ‘chiefly amongst the poor people’. The epidemic killed many people. Patients have a ‘depressed pulse’ and ‘malignant fever’. The man who brought the illness from Lincolnshire is still alive, but has headaches. Richardson tried to contact the Consul, but he is traveling in France and Holland. He congratulates Sloane on the success of smallpox inoculation, noting that ‘it was practised in Asia long agoe’.
Richardson was a physician and botanist who traveled widely in England, Wales, and Scotland in search of rare specimens. He corresponded and exchanged plants with many well-known botanists and naturalists (W. P. Courtney, Richardson, Richard (16631741), rev. Peter Davis, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, May 2010 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/23576, accessed 31 May 2011]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Samuel Dale to Hans Sloane – October 18, 1722
Item info
Date: October 18, 1722
Author: Samuel Dale
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4046
Folio: f. 305
Original Page
Transcription
[fol. 305]
Sr
The Gentleman who brings you this having been
some years at Leyden now intends shortly for France
for his improvement in Physick & Botany, the favour
therefore which he waites upon you for, and which I
beg at your hands for him is your recommendation: and
you will greatly oblidge
Sr
Your most humble ser’t
S: Dale
Braintree Oct. 18th 1722.
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 -
Batty Langley to Hans Sloane – May 11, 1730
Item info
Date: May 11, 1730
Author: Batty Langley
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4051
Folio: ff. 27-28
Original Page
Transcription
[fol. 28] Honed Sr Be Pleased to accept of the Head of the Illustrious Sr Isaac Newton, Herewith sent made in my artificial stone, Being the first that Has been Made, since the Time of the old Romans I am yr Most Obedient Humble Servt Batty Langley 11 May 1730
Batty Langley (bap. 1696, d. 1751) wrote works on gardening, garden design, and ancient and modern architecture (Eileen Harris, Langley, Batty (bap. 1696, d. 1751), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/16022, accessed 20 Aug 2013]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Christopher Merret to Hans Sloane – November 19, 1696
Item info
Date: November 19, 1696
Author: Christopher Merret
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4036
Folio: f. 276
Original Page
Transcription
Merret apologizes for not yet having read Camden. He has been travelling for work in the East of England. He informs Sloane of a number of items he has sent, which should arrive soon after the letter. These include ‘8 Teal & 2 Duck (Decoy Fowl)’ and a piece of amber.
Christopher Merret was a physician, natural philosopher, and worked as the Librarian to the Royal College of Physicians (D. E. Allen, ‘Merret , Christopher (1614–1695)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, May 2013 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/18599, accessed 12 May 2015]).