Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
John Ray to Hans Sloane – June 8, 1681
Item info
Date: June 8, 1681
Author: John Ray
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4036
Folio: ff. 2-3
Original Page
Transcription
[fol. 2] Sr It is now about a fortnight since the Post brought me your very civill & obliging Letter, the receipt whereof I should sooner have acknowledg’d but that I awaited ye arrival of your acceptable present, wch Mr Smith sent me not will last week, deferring so long I suppose that he might send my Book & that together, wch by ye Printers fault was not sooner finished. I am too conscious of my own weaknesse to own what you write of me, yet look upon it as an effect of your kindness & good will: it being a common fault in friends to permit their affection too much to influence & biasse their judgement. I am sorry that I had not leaisure & opportunity when I was in London curiously to view your rare Collection of Plants. I know I should have received much information & satisfaction thereby. I hope you persist in your resolution of making your discoveries & Observations publick, for your own honour, & the advancem’t of Reall Philsophy, & that you move forwards vigorosuly in it. I am sensible that ye charge of Figures may deterre you, therefore I think it were adviseable to imitate Dr Plukenet, to draw y’em in piccolo using a small scale, & thrust many species into a Plate. I would not have ye ingenious deferred ye fruition of such a treasure, the sight of so gratefull objects nor you the credit of your inventions. I hope you have received the little Tract, wch I ordered Mr Smith to present you with a Copy of. If you some down into the Countrey this Summer, I hope you will doe use ye kindnesse to give use a visit at Black Notley: My wife (who tenders her humble service to you) as well as my self would be so very glad to see you heer. shes with due thanks for your many favours & great kindness is all at present from Sr, Your affectionate friend & humble Servant John Ray Black Notley June 8. 81.
Ray was a theologian and naturalist who collected and catalogued his botanical findings in the much lauded Historia plantarum (1686, 1688) (Scott Mandelbrote, Ray , John (16271705), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Oct 2005 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/23203, accessed 18 June 2013]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
George Kelly to Hans Sloane – February 5, 1730/31
Item info
Date: February 5, 1730/31
Author: George Kelly
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4051
Folio: ff. 182-183
Original Page
Transcription
[fol. 182] The Tower feb: 5: 1730 Sir My Obligations to You are so great, that I should be very Unworthy, if I did not acknowledge them with the Utmost gratitude and return you my sincere and hearty thanks in the best Manner that my present weak condition will allow off. You have, Sir, been exceedingly good in speaking to the Duke of New Castle for me and his Grace has been so kind as to send down an order upon it, but it is so unhappily worded for me, that except you are pleasd to prevail upon him to make some small alteration in it, I shall reap no benefit by it. for the order says, that I shall go abroad for two hours in a day only, you know, will be spent in going and Coming thro the streets of London, so that I shall have no time to stay in the open air, which is the intent of my going abroad; in the Next place, It directs that I shall have an officer and a Warder to attend me, and the Expence of providing horses for them and myself will be so great [fol. 183] that I am by no means able to do it; I have represented this in a letter to his Grace, and begd of him to Indulge me with the liberty of five or six hours in a day, attended by an officer or a Warder, and there is not an officer or Warder here, but are willing to take charge of and Answer for me in this manner for I thank God, my behaviour has been such among them, that they think me incapable of a dishonest action and much less of so base a one as to make ill use of any Independence which they are pleased to allow me; Now, Sir as you have been the only person who has procured this Indulgence, I most humbly beg the favour of you to back the representation which I have made to the Duke, which is so true and reasonable, that the least application from you will produce an Order of service to me; since all I request is to go abroad for 5 or 6 hours attended by an Officer or a Warder only I hope you will pardon me for giving you so much trouble to believe me with the greatest gratitude I respect. Sir your most obliged humble sert Gero. Kelly
George Kelly (b. 1688, d. in or after 1747) was a Jacobite agent and conspirator. He was arrested twice in 1722 for his involvement in a plot to restore the Stuarts. Kelly was imprisoned in the Tower of London, where he was supported by his family, Jacobite members of parliament, and Sir Hans Sloane. He escaped in 1736 and fled to France (Roger Turner, ‘Kelly, George (b. 1688, d. in or after 1747)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, May 2006 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/15297, accessed 29 Aug 2014]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Alexander Stuart to Hans Sloane – January 4, 1710
Item info
Date: January 4, 1710
Author: Alexander Stuart
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4042
Folio: f. 83
Original Page
Transcription
[fol. 83]
Much Honoured Sir
Being sensible of the many obligations I ow you, I should have pay’d you my Respects per first after my Arrival; but that I was unwilling to give you the trouble of a Letter, untill I cou’d satisfie you of the delivery of the Last twelve Months Philosophical Transactions sent by me to Mr Leeuvenhoeck: which indeed I could not deliver till Thursday Last, without Looseing some Colledges, which I could not easily retrive. Mr Leeuvenhoeck was extremely pleased with them and expressed a very great Respect for you, of which he gave me a very sensible proof by a kinde deception: and, which I esteemed most, he favoured me with a sight of some of his Microscopes, and of some several Objects by them.- Besides that his Microscopes are excellent, the manner of setting them and the Objects to them, seem’d to me a little uncommon and very advantagious; tho that may be owing to my want of Experience in any considerable variety of that kinde: therefor I do not writ you any particulars about them. Your Letter to Mr Boerhaave in my favours had also ane extraordinary good Effect, for which I return you my humble thanks.- I have taken a Colledge of Institutions, one of practice and one of Chymie with him, and attend his publick Colledge of the Mechanicks. He appears to be a man of great Ingenuity, Learning and Candor, which have gott him more Scholars than all the professors of the University besides. I am now so sensible of the advantages of this place, that I extremly regret I had not paper Last year here. I shou’d be glad to hear that the Black Boy behaves himself to your Satisfaction, that being what I proposed to my self in makeing you such a present: If otherwayes, I intreat youd dispose of him as you mentioned, according to his Deserts. I shall esteem the honour of a Line from you, with your Commands, if I can serve you in any thing here: mean time, Let me presume to give my humble Respects to your Honoured Lady and Family, and Subcrib Much Honoured Sir Your most humble and obliged serv’t Alexander Stuart
Stuart was a physician and natural philosopher. He served as a ship’s surgeon from 1701-1707 and corresponded with Sloane while at sea, sending him natural history specimens. Stuart contributed articles to the Philosophical Transactions from the 1720s, mostly on physiology (Anita Guerrini, Stuart, Alexander (1673?1742), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/47081, accessed 3 July 2013]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
John Chamberlayne to Hans Sloane – January 19, 1709/10
Item info
Date: January 19, 1709/10
Author: John Chamberlayne
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4042
Folio: f. 87
Original Page
Transcription
[fol. 87] Petty France 19 Jan: 1709/10 Sr
If you had laid your comands upon me in a much greater matter than what I writ to you lately ab’t I mean the Election of Signor Bianchi, a copy of the Transactions preceding the last &c, I should not have fail’d in a punctual obedience of them, but I may repeat my humbly Requests never so often, & I hear no more of the success thereof, unless a Dutch letter intervenes, wch if I take in a little unkindly, I expect to be Pardon’d, because I am always more sensible of Favors, than Contempts put upon Sr Your most humble servant John Chamberlayne
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 (1668/9-1723)’, 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 – August 12, 1732
Item info
Date: August 12, 1732
Author: Richard Richardson
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4052
Folio: ff. 164-165
Original Page
Transcription
[fol. 165] North Bierley Aug: 12 1732 Hond Sr I am very much concerned that there has not been a more expacitiouse dispatch in finding the plants yu deserved out of Mr Petivers collection but I have of late been pretty much from home & Mr Petiver was not inclinable to do any thing with out any assistance yet have at last (ran) over a very numerous collection & putt out a great part of the plants you desire the greatest number of them Dr Dillenius had seen and added names to them; especially the Submarine plants & mosses the difficulty in classing the […] regularily I take to be very great since several of them put on quite different faces at different seasons but since we have the authotity of so great a judge in this sort of Botany we are willing to acqu […] till we can be better informed. Mr Brewer sent the plants hither a few days agoe which I put up in a Box & sent by Sam: Haggus who Inns at the white Horse Cripplegate he wil be in London on Thursday next in the Box you wil find some Fossils amongst the rest you wil find two or three beautyfull varieties of stalactites most of these I had from the Limestone Rocks in Craven & if any thing in this kind or in any part of Nat: Hist: comes to my hands, you may be assured to hear from
your much obliged servant
Ric: Richardson
Mr Brewer designs to write to you by this post
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 Fuller Sr. to Hans Sloane – January 8, 1710/11
Item info
Date: January 8, 1710/11
Author: John Fuller Sr.
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4042
Folio: ff. 219-220
Original Page
Transcription
Fuller sends the bird he found near his house, as promised. He kept it in his garden pond for ‘a fortnight’. Fuller believes the beak is designed ‘for the wrenching open of whole Fish’. The bird had lost its ability to fly. Fuller suggests it may be ‘a Common Sea Bird’. Sloane will know more, as Fuller is unfamiliar with birds. Some of his relations claim to have seen a similar birds ‘upon our Coasts’.
John Fuller, Senior married Elizabeth Rose, daughter of Fulke and Elizabeth Rose of Jamaica, in 1703. He managed the family sugar plantations in Jamaica and in 1705 took control of the family furnace where he became an ironmaster and gunfounder. His wife’s mother later married Sir Hans Sloane, making Sloane Fuller’s stepfather-in-law (J. S. Hodgkinson, Fuller family (per. c.16501803), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, May 2005 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/47494, accessed 2 July 2013]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Christopher Wren to Hans Sloane – March 23, 1710/11
Item info
Date: March 23, 1710/11
Author: Christopher Wren
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4042
Folio: ff. 262-263
Original Page
Transcription
[fol. 263] Whitehall Mar: 23d 1710 Dr. Sloan By my father’s direction a Modell is made of the room for the Repository of the Royal-Society in Crane Court, which may give the Gentlemen a better idea, then the designe on paper. It will be very light, very commodious, and the cheapest building that can be contrived: I have sent the Joyner with it to you, that you may take the opportunity to show at the Councill; it will be necessary not to loose the season of the year in the execution. I shall indeavour to attend the next meeting, and am
yr most obed.t hum.e servt.
Chr: Wren
Sir Christopher Wren was an architect, mathematician, astronomer, and member of the Royal Society (Kerry Downes, “Wren, Sir Christopher (1632-1723)”, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, May 2009 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/30019, accessed 3 June 2011]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Richard Richardson to Hans Sloane – June 7, 1732
Item info
Date: June 7, 1732
Author: Richard Richardson
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4052
Folio: ff. 123-124
Original Page
Transcription
[fol. 124] I had the favoure of yr letter about ten days agoe & not long after I received your very acceptable present of Bookes which were all new to me & very valuable for which & other yr favours I must always ackowledge my obligations to you.
Mr Brewer came hither not long after I received yr letter wch I communicate to him & gave Micheli’s List of plants wch yu designed of him he told me that he believed he had the greatest part of them which he would very willingly oblige yu with if I would assist him in looking them out & numbering them in have yu through the marine plants, & have met with the greatest part you desired & have added several others wch seem to us non discripts. the rest we wil looke over as soon as we conveniently can. but the grapes & probes &c as wel as the marine plants are so numerable that I am afraid it wil be ten days before Mr Brewer can send yu his Cargoe along wth them I wil send you a fewe fossils Mr Petiver wil write to you by whome he sends the Box & when he sends yu his service I wish it was in my power in any aspect to showe how much I am
your obliged servant
Ric: Richardson
North Bierley
June 7 1732
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 -
William Sherard to Hans Sloane – May 28, 1711
Item info
Date: May 28, 1711
Author: William Sherard
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4042
Folio: ff. 289-290
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Language
English
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Library
British Library, London
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Categories
Collections, Material Culture, Scholarship, Social, Trade or Commodities, Travel
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Subjects
Books, Botany, Greek Antiquities, Inscriptions, Jamaica, Near East, Plants, Specimens
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Date (as written)
May 28, 1711
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Standardised date
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Origin (as written)
Smirna
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Others mentioned
Lady Rawdon Joseph Pitton de Tournefort Arthur Rawdon Leonard Plukenet Robert Sherrard William Stonefreet Edmund Chishull
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Patients mentioned
Original Page
Transcription
[fol. 289]
Dear Sr
Tho I had not now of a letter from you this Convoy, in answer to my last, I can’t bear troubling you. I hear from Dublin my Lady Rawdon is dead, & I rekon Sr John is now at age, who I hope is how.e will pay his fathers debts. I know Sr. yr influence you have upon that family & desire yr kind assistance. I have sent a letter of Attorney to Mr Robt Sherard of ye Post office who has the Bond for 180tt in his hands. I don’t expect it can presently be discharg’d, tho I hope (sr Arthur having been to long dead) most of ye debts are paid off. I hear ye astute in Chesshire is moving ag’d to yr family, & shou’d be glad to know if it be viable to debt is it should be, by ye morty age. Any service you shall please to do me by yr own or friends interest in this affair, shall be gratefully acknowledged.
I am glad to hear you have purchas’d Dr Plukenets plants; I had wrote to Engld about them, but wth no other design, But yt they might not be sold to a foreigner; they are better in yr hands then mine, since I promise my self ye use of them at my return, for my Pinax you will have heard there is a Dr of Bala yt is about an adition of it, but he pretends to give an acct of above 20,000 plants, wch will far out do mine. I have fresh hopes of recovering ye collection designed me by Dr Tournefort, & promises of all his duplictes.
[fol. 289v]
The service I can do ye Academia for Antiquites, has much promoted my interest in this affair.
I beleive twoud be no difficult matter for you to procure Sr Arthur Rawdons Jamaica collection, & then I might hope of adding to mine, such as were lost.
I have sent you ye three first vol. of ye Giornale de letterati printed last year at Venice, not knowing whether they may have yet reached Engld they will be deliver’d to you by Mr Stonestreet or my brother.
I have sent above an hundred Greek inscriptions to Mr Chishull by this convoy, besides what e had before from Eeyra & other places. he writes me he shall be ready for them at ye return of oe ships, having ye only diversion I have less in these parts, if I may call yt a diversion yrs accompanied so much danger fatigues & expense for wnt of some books my Pinax is at a stand; I have sent a note of them to Mr stonestreet hoping he will procure me them a line from you at yr leisure would be very acceptable to
Dear Sr Yr obliged humble servt
W.Sherard
Smirna
May 28.1711
my humble service to yr Lady & family
Sherard was a botanist and cataloguer. He worked for the Turkish Company at Smyrna where he collected botanical specimens and antiques (D. E. Allen, Sherard, William (16591728), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/25355, accessed 24 June 2011]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Richard Richardson to Hans Sloane – September 2, 1730
Item info
Date: September 2, 1730
Author: Richard Richardson
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4051
Folio: ff. 91-92
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Language
English
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Library
British Library, London
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Categories
Collections, Medical, Scholarship, Scientific, Social
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Subjects
Books, Cattle, Chelsea Physic Garden, Environmental Degradation, Epidemics, Medicines, Mineral Waters, Recipes, Smallpox
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Date (as written)
September 2, 1730
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Standardised date
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Origin (as written)
North Bierley
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Others mentioned
Philip Miller
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Patients mentioned
Watson
Original Page
Transcription
Richardson thanks Sloane for the books and mentions several he would like to procure. He has received no word from Mr Miller, though he was told that Chelsea Physic Garden is thriving. Richardson has compiled a list of all plants growing above ground. He will send the list to Mr Miller. Richardson discusses the contamination of water in Halifax and the means employed to cure the cattle who got sick drinking it. He relays the recipe for the medicine that was used. Smallpox is becoming a problem.
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]).
Patient Details
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Patient info
Name: Miss. Watson
Gender:
Age:
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Description
The child's symptoms are 'favourable'.
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Diagnosis
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Treatment
Previous Treatment: Purged a few times. Dr Nettleton and Richardson treated the child.
Ongoing Treatment:
Response: Shortly after being treated Horton's symptoms worsened for a few days and two weeks later he was in a bad way. His hands twitched and gripings developed in his feet. The boy died on the fifteenth day.
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More information
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Medical problem reference
Death, Smallpox, Unspecified