Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Richard Richardson to Hans Sloane – July 21, 1727
Item info
Date: July 21, 1727
Author: Richard Richardson
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4049
Folio: ff. 6-7
-
Language
English
-
Library
British Library, London
-
Categories
Collections, Scholarship, Scientific, Trade or Commodities, Travel
-
Subjects
Botany, Game, History, Japan, Plants, Publishing, Specimens, Subscriptions, Wales
-
Date (as written)
July 21, 1727
-
Standardised date
-
Origin (as written)
North Bierley
-
Others mentioned
Sam. Brewer Philip Miller John Firth
-
Patients mentioned
Original Page
Transcription
Richardson sends ‘more game’ by John Firth. He has not come across anything noteworthy in natural history as of late. Last year he came across an abundant growth of ‘Stashys Fuchey [?]’ just outside of London. Richardson received a letter from Mr Miller informing him of a ‘Treasure of plants’ that arrived in Holland. He heard Dr Scheuchzer’s translation of Engelbert Kaempfer’s History of Japan was published. He is going to send the second subscription payment to Mr Miller to pass on to Sloane. Richardson has received letters from Sam. Brewer, who has been in Wales and Anglesey for a year collecting plants and ‘made very considerable discoverys’.
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 – July 1, 1701
Item info
Date: July 1, 1701
Author: William Sherard
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4038
Folio: ff. 179-180
Original Page
Transcription
Sherard informs Sloane of an upcoming book auction. He will be sending a package from Paris soon. Sloane will then be able to send any books he has for Drs Morin and Dodart.
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 -
John Lely to Hans Sloane – August 5, 1703
Item info
Date: August 5, 1703
Author: John Lely
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4039
Folio: ff. 169-170
Original Page
Transcription
Lely believes that the person to whom Sloane showed the bust knows nothing of statuary, arguing that Mr Gibbins would give a very different value. He claims the bust would be fit for any prince’s gallery if it had not lost its nose.
John Lely (b. 1674) was the son of Sir Peter Lely, the portrait painter and art collector, and his common-law wife Ursula. John married the daughter of Sir John Knatchbull (Diana Dethloff, ‘Lely, Sir Peter (1618–1680)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, May 2009 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/16419, accessed 28 May 2015]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Daniel Malthus to Hans Sloane – December 18, 1696
Item info
Date: December 18, 1696
Author: Daniel Malthus
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4036
Folio: f. 279
Original Page
Transcription
Sir, I cam to tell you that Mrs Randalls daughter hath used the lotion four nights, and says the pimples are more in number, and larger than they were, If you expect the humor should come out more upon this application, she is contented, but thought fit you should be acquainted with it, I will call here some time tomorrow, if you please to leave order what you will have done or word that you intend to see her I will give Mrs Randall an account of it I am Sir your humble servant.
Daniel Malthus (1651-1717) served as apothecary to Queen Anne and George I and was the great-grandfather of the political economist and demographer Thomas Robert Malthus (J. M. Pullen, ‘Malthus, (Thomas) Robert (1766–1834)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, May 2008 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/17902, accessed 7 July 2014]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
John Ray to Hans Sloane – January 20, 1702/03
Item info
Date: January 20, 1702/03
Author: John Ray
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4039
Folio: ff. 75-76
Original Page
Transcription
Ray thanks Sloane for the gift of sugar and for meeting the Lord Bishop of London, who offered his assistance in promoting Ray’s book. Ray sends two copies of his ‘Planturum Emendata’ to Sloane as thanks.
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 -
Richard Waller to Hans Sloane – September, 1696
Item info
Date: September, 1696
Author: Richard Waller
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4036
Folio: ff. 266-267
Original Page
Transcription
[fol. 266] Sir, I rec’d yours of the 28th and am very sorry the RS whose welfare I so much desire should be any way prejudiced by my means, but really tis rather my fate than fault and they may in some sense thank themselves for choosing a person in all respects so very unfitt to serve them which I foresaw and earnestly desired them to pitch upon one more capable, and hope they will now see their Error, I being obliged to live so far out of Town that if I were in other respects as […] I am not, able to perform my duty that alone were sufficient to render me [‘uncapable’ crossed out and ‘unfitt’ written above] for the honour they have donn me. Sir it is no small uneasiness that I am forced to give you so much trouble, and may justly blush when I see you that I should shrinke my neck from that burden which should at least by halfe born by me, and must submitt to what you will please to inflict having scarce faith to ask a pardon. I know not certainly when I shall come to Town but when I do I will not fail to kiss your hand. As for the Keys of the Papers, I never had Mr Halleys key which possibly he has left with Dr Hook if not Mr Hunts will open his press. I have no late Papers in my Custody and do not remember to have seen those you mention of Mr Coopers I suppose they are in Mr Halleys press I gave the Keys of the other Presses a great while since to my Br Pitfield if I much mistake not for you as for the Transactions I am ashamed yet must own I cannot looke after the Printing of them at this distance – these Sir are the Crimes of Your real friend & humble servant.
Waller states that he was a poor choice for Royal Society Secretary, living out of town and and being unable to fulfill his duties. He points out that he had stated this case to the Society before he was made Secretary and this was the inevitable result he predicted.
Richard Waller was a natural philosopher and translator who worked as the Royal Society’s secretary. He also served on its council and edited the Philosophical Transactions (Lotte Mulligan, Waller, Richard (c.16601715), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/48707, accessed 19 June 2013]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
William Cowper to Hans Sloane – April 11, 1703
Item info
Date: April 11, 1703
Author: William Cowper
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4039
Folio: f. 111
Original Page
Transcription
Cowper must go to Windsor. He cannot meet with the Gentlemen as previously arranged.
Cowper was a surgeon and an anatomist, elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1699. He became embroiled in a plagiarism scandal in 1698 when he was accused of copying Govard Bidloos anatomical work (Monique Kornell, Cowper , William (1666/71710), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/6510, accessed 4 July 2013]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
John Ray to Hans Sloane – July 17, 1696
Item info
Date: July 17, 1696
Author: John Ray
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4036
Folio: ff. 244-245
Original Page
Transcription
Ray discusses his latest work, which he is trying to finish quickly. He has a copy of Plukenet’s recent work and notes ‘many mistakes in the language & in ye composition of Greek names’.
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 -
Ralph Thoresby to Hans Sloane – August 16, 1704
Item info
Date: August 16, 1704
Author: Ralph Thoresby
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4039
Folio: ff. 343-344
-
Language
English
-
Library
British Library, London
-
Categories
Collections, Material Culture, Philosophical Transactions, Royal Society, Scientific, Social
-
Subjects
Coins, Deaths, Easter, Mathematics
-
Date (as written)
August 16, 1704
-
Standardised date
-
Origin (as written)
Leedes
-
Others mentioned
Abraham de la Pryme Bishop of Carlisle Dr Gray John Wallis Dr Hicks
-
Patients mentioned
Original Page
Transcription
Thoresby discusses numismatic scholarship and coin collecting. One of his coins is a ‘Runic Amulet of the God Thor’ and another is from Sweden, depicting Charles XI. He thanks Sloane for the Philosophical Transactions. He has come across a calculation that allows one to determine the date on which Easter falls. Thoresby asks that this calculation be given a place in the Philosophical Transactions, as he is ‘sure Infinity better deserves a place in the Transactions than anything’. He outlines his method in detail. Thoresby is sorry to hear that Abraham de la Pryme has died.
Thoresby was an antiquary and topographer. He expanded his fathers Musaeum Thoresbyanum impressively, and his collection brought him into discussion with many important political and scholarly figures (P. E. Kell, Thoresby, Ralph (16581725), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Oct 2006 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/27334, accessed 27 June 2013]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
William Sherard to Hans Sloane – June 9, 1701
Item info
Date: June 9, 1701
Author: William Sherard
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4038
Folio: f. 177
Original Page
Transcription
Sherard informs Sloane that the Parisian prints are at the post office. Mr Craw has been sent to pick them up and pay the customs fees. Sherard’s brother returns from Holland at the end of the week. He will forward Sloane the books that he promised at that time.
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]).