Philosophizes about society, college, time passing, and the 'fog' of present life. Wants to know all that is going on at Cambridge. Sends fond greetings to friends. [Letter completed 2-22].
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Philosophizes about society, college, time passing, and the 'fog' of present life. Wants to know all that is going on at Cambridge. Sends fond greetings to friends. [Letter completed 2-22].
Regarding the equations in his memoir on the series of tangents. Queries about the Analytical Society.
Answers to JH's questions on equations. Regarding the printing of his memoirs. Recent meeting of the Analytical Society.
Further equations discussed. Has purchased more books. Regarding the printing of the memoir. [Letter continued on 1813-3-2.]
Hopes JH settles in Cambridge. News of their fellows. Charles Babbage's lecture popular. Includes parody on [Sir Walter] Scott.
Still confined with his rheumatism; abandons his intended visit to Holkham [home of Thomas William Coke] and Norfolk. Prepared an account of improvements at his Chat-Moss farm for the Board of Agriculture. Compiling a catalogue of his pictures, drawings, and prints; discusses del Sarto copy of a portrait of Leo X and his cardinals by Raffaelli.
Hopes Smith received his review of [George] Canning's [(1770-1827), politician] speeches, which he wrote to be "obnoxious to so powerful a party both in politics & literature". Sends verses of his own composition for [Pleasance] Smith as thanks for the medicine recommendation; no relief from external stimulants of hot salt-water baths and frequent blisterings. Recently acquired Lord Bute's copy of Rumphius' [(1627-1702), botanist] ["Herbarii Amboinensis"].
Encloses lichen resembling 'Lichen leucomelas' found at Babbicombe, [Devon], for Smith's opinion. Tempestuous weather but his brother's health improving.
[Smith has annotated 'Lichen leucomelos' on recto of folio]
Thanks for Smith's sympathies on death of his clever and resourceful daughter, [Maria]. She was attended to by Dr [Matthew] Baillie, gives an account of her final illness and death: following her recovery from an indisposition which lasted over a year a bilious attack came on which gave way to a low fever and rapid accumulation of water on the chest and in the lungs, leading to instantaneous suffocation. During the fever her pulse was only from 78 to 84. Calomel, draughts, blisters behind the ears and on the scalp, and seed water were all tried. Sir Joseph Banks very ill but thinks his strong constitution will carry him through; the moderate quantities of L'Eau medicinale he has taken have not had their usual relieving effect.
Notes and observations accompanying his specimens of 'Myosotis', numbered, including: 'M. patula', 'M. versicolor', 'M. umbrata', 'M. umbrata' variety, 'M. rupicola', 'M. palustris', and 'M. repens'.