Acknowledges his letter and his invitation to Collingwood. Was pleased to have the company of the young ladies on their journey from Paris.
Acknowledges his letter and his invitation to Collingwood. Was pleased to have the company of the young ladies on their journey from Paris.
Confined by accident but is grateful for his paper on musical scales and offers his comments on it.
Further comments on JH's paper on the musical scales.
JDH writes to Robert Brown about places he has botanised during the [Antarctica] expedition. Mentions Madeira & Tenerife briefly. Describes St Jago flora as tropical vegetation in oases on sandy plains. Notes the Palma Christi bushes, a Anasnaceae[?], European vegetation in the Valley of San Domingo, a Lotus Campanala asphidium & an interesting Umbeliferous plant probably also in Christian Smith's collections. Arrived at Christmas Harbour, Kerguelen's Land in winter, 12 May [1840]. Describes the island, climate & the distribution of flora, noting: a water plant of genus Chara, Conferva, mosses, marsh grass sp. of Juncus, Halorageaceae & Portulacea. Also details distribution of fungi, lichens, Jungermannia, Musci, Filices, Graminea, Compositae, Portulacae, Umbellifera, Rubiaceae, Rosaceae, Caryophylleae, Ranunculaceae & an unknown Bulliarda. All plants are very hardy in the snow. Letter continues dated 28 Nov 1842 addressed from HMS 'Erebus', Berkeley Sound, East Falklands. JDH explains that the letter has been unfinished for 2 years as he was disappointed in the St Helena collections to go with it. He fears his 'out of season' collections from the Kerguelen, Auckland & Hermite Islands are inferior to those of King's ship, Darwin, D' Urville & Cook's naturalist Anderson. Sir John Franklin & Gunn asked after Brown. In Van Diemen's Land [Tasmania] & New Zealand JDH collected orchids for Brown incl. a Freycinetia. Discusses: Kerguelen Cabbage, Chilean Misidendron[?] from Hermite Island, British Museum plants from Macquarie & Royal Company's Islands. Describes geology of Emerald Island. Will send Brown Falklands plants. Expedition goes south to the ice then to Cape of Good Hope & Rio de Janeiro. JDH intends to focus on Cryptogammia. Mentions classification of Gunnera, article on fossil wood in TASMANIAN JOURNAL, the Macleay's garden & the loss of Menzies. Colenso will send Brown NZ fossil woods. Thanks Brown for proposing him at the Linnean Society & Athenaeum.
Declines offer of Secretaryship of the Linnean Society and explains his decision. Pleased that Smith's health has improved and his progress with the third volume of "The English Flora". Sending Smith his appendix to "Captain Parry's 1st Voyage" and his contribution to the botanical appendix of "Captain Franklin's journey". Pleased that Smith is to adopt Brown's proposals for 'Cruciferae', and comments on [Augustin Pyramus] de Candolle's work on the same.
Accepts his prospective appointment [as vice-president of Linnean Society] with some trepidation. Glad to hear of the additions of 'Woodia' and 'Ophrys' to "The English Flora" which are new to him, had previously heard of the 'Isnardia' from others. Still unsatisfied with 'Aspidium' and 'Nephrodium'. Currently engaged in examining particles of "faville".
Frustrated in giving a full account of of his New Holland [Australia] desiderata, Smith's labours in this area have facilitated his researches but still unsure on some specimens, in particular 'Eucalyptus'. Relates the misfortunes of [Matthew Flinder's] expedition to Australia [on which Brown was the naturalist] but despite these and the failure to complete the planned survey approximately 3000 species have been brought home, Brown hopes at least a third are new. [Ferdinand] Bauer has made approximately 1600 drawings. Appointed Librarian of the Linnean Society. Pleased to hear that Smith is recovering from his "severe indisposition".
Linnean Society currently depends entirely upon Smith for papers, short for ninth volume of "Linnean Transactions". Intends to offer an essay on 'Holoraceae' including 'Amaranthaceae' and 'Atriplius', which has been neglected by botanists but Brown has examined most of it in determining his New Holland [Australia] plants. Sends list of species from Linnaeus herbarium Brown would like to inspect: 'Achyranthes muricata', 'Achyranthes alternifolia', 'Achyranthes alternifolia', 'Celosia argentea', 'Celosia margaritacea', 'Celosia gnaphaloides', 'Illecebrum brachiatum', 'Illecebrum sanguinolentum', 'Illecebrum canariense', 'Illecebrum bengalense', 'Illecebrum polygonoides', 'Illecebrum precordium', 'Illecebrum cymosum', 'Illecebrum alsinifolium', 'Illecebrum suffruticosum', 'Gomphrena arborescens', 'Corispermum squarrosum', 'Camphorosma monspeliaca', 'Camphorosma actua', 'Camphorosma glabra', 'Camphorosma paleacea', 'Salsola rosacea', 'Salsola sativa', 'Salsola polyclonos', and 'Salsola hirsuta' [list of plants is marked in pencil in Smith's hand with either a tick or cross, note in Smith's hand "plants lent and returned"]
Has been suffering from persistent ailments. Observations on Smith's two species of 'Brodiaea' in [Sir Joseph] Banks' herbarium, compares 'Brodiaea congesta' with work of [Archibald] Menzies and [Richard] Salisbury. Observations on capsules of 'Acrostichum digitatum'. At the request of [Jonas] Dryander arranging his 'Protaceae', with view to publication in "Linnean Transactions", queries Smith on 'Protea' in Linnaeus' herbarium: 'Protea cyanoides', 'Protea phylicoides', 'Protea sphaerocephala', 'Protea racemosa', 'Protea spicata', 'Protea strobilina', 'Protea sencea', 'Protea hirta', and 'Protea obliqua'.
Questions for Smith on papers he wrote on New Holland [Australian] plants in ninth volume of "Linnean Transactions". Believes 'Conchium congifolium' is the same as 'Conchium pugioniforme', opinions on 'Conchium sphaeroideum' and 'Conchium compressum'. Believes Smith's 'Gompholobium maculatum', described under 'Gompholobium scabrum', is a distinct species as comprehended under Linnaeus's 'Sophora genistoides'. Believes 'Bossiaea ovata' may be 'Bossiaea heterophylla'. Questions appropriateness of 'Scolopendrium' as a name. Thanks Smith for answers his on 'Protea', his developments, has finished his paper on the subject. Comments on paucity of botanical matters in other journals. Remarks on a paper read by [David] White on the Malabar 'Cardamom' which Brown believes proves it is a distinct genus, at least by [William] Roscoe's principles.
Discusses his paper on 'Proteaceae' and reasons for keeping the name 'Hakea' instead of Smith's apparent suggestion of 'Conchium'. This was in deference to [Baron Christian Ludwig von] Hake, and previous use by [Heinrich] Schrader, [Antonio José] Cavanilles, [Jacques] La Billardiere and [Etienne Pierre] Ventenat, and being pushed by [Jonas] Dryander having used it in his catalogue of New Holland [Australian] plants and the strong likelihood of it being used in "Hortus Kewensis".
Rejects Smith's proposal to give Brown's name to Brown's genus 'Josephia'; explains how he previously considered 'Dryandra' and others. Sends Smith two 'Orchidaceae' to be considered instead and suggests 'B. tropica' or 'B. sencea' for one and 'B. australis' for the other, observations on second and third pages [crossed through in pencil]. Urges a swift "baptizm" if acceptable to Smith so as to include them in the "Prodromus" he is currently working on. Suggests an appendment to Smith's "Lapland tour", currently in the press, in the form of an essay on its botany by [Georg] Wahlenberg. [Alexander] Macleay has fractured the fibula of his right leg. An essay on 'Proteaceae' by "Knight & co." [Richard Salisbury published Brown's 'Proteacea' under the name of Joseph Knight (c 1777-1855), gardener for George Hibbert (1757-1837, merchant), see RelatedMaterial].
Arrangements for visiting Smith. Criticises the writing of Dr [Walter ?] Wade and Mr Schmaltz [possibly Constantino Samuel Rafinesque-Schmaltz], particularly the latter's work on 'Verbena nodiflora'. First meeting of the Linnean Club taking place today.
Requests the following 'Orchidaceae' specimens from the Linnean Herbarium when Smith comes to London: 'Orchis tripetaloides', 'Orchis sancta', 'Orchis flava', 'Orchis tipuloides', 'Satyrium aculatum', 'Satyrium pedicellatum', 'Satyrium hians', 'Ophrys cernua', 'Ophrys camtschatea', 'Serapias capensis', 'Limodorum altum', 'Epidendrum amabile', and 'Epidendrum pusillum'. Additionally requests unsettled 'Epidendrum' and 'Arethusa biplumata', [Francis] Buchanan's "two fine 'Epidendra' figured in "Exotic Botany"", and syngenesious plants 'Barnadeisa spinosa', 'Atractylis purpurea', 'Atractylis mexicana', 'Stachelina ilicifolia', 'Perdicium magellanicum', 'Sphaeranthus chinensis', and 'Jungia ferruginea'. Sir Joseph Banks slowly recovering from his attack of gout.
Sends handwritten extract from "Mem. de l'Institut", 1807 4, on [Étienne Pierre] Ventenat's genus 'Poiretia'. His name 'Hovea' is after the Polish traveller Anthony Pantaleon Hove, a friend of William [Townsend] Aiton who has collected for Sir Joseph Banks' herbarium. Hopes Smith has a productive visit to Holkham, [Norfolk, home of Thomas William Coke]. [William Elford] Leach to succeed the late [George] Shaw at the British Museum. Banks in good health but has lost the use of his legs.
Thanks Smith for the new Compendium. Had a successful trip to Paris and met all the principal botanists except [Charles-François Brisseau de] Mirbel and [Christiaan Hendrik] Persoon. [René Louiche] Desfontaines and [André] Thouin enquired after Smith's health and [Antoine Laurent de] Jussieu is preparing a second edition of his "Genera". Papers on 'Sarancenia' and 'Lycopodium' not read. Sir Joseph Banks in good health. Sending Dunal's "two works on 'Solanum'", an American edition of Smith's "Introduction to Botany" and will separately forward specimens of 'Salicornia'.
Encloses a letter from [Henry Thomas] Colebrooke detailing a plan for publishing [William] Roxburgh's "Flora Indica". Brown's opinion of it.
Sending to Norwich a box of books including [Charles Athanase] Walckenaer's "Memoires des Abeilles Solitaires"; [Kurt] Sprengel's "Species umbelli ferarum minus cognitae"; a parcel from [Olof] Swartz; seeds, possibly Indian; a parcel from Vienna containing ninth and tenth fasicules of [Joseph Franz von] Jacquin's "Eclogae"; [Nikolaus Joseph Freiherr von Jacquin's] "Collectanea" and "Synopsis Stapeliarum"; and a letter from [Brownlow North], Bishop of Winchester, containing flowers of a 'yucca'. [Alexander] Macleay has just left for Scotland for two months. Question on presentation of two plates for Smith's article on 'Rhizomorpha medullaris' in "Linnean Transactions". Sir Joseph Banks is well.
No summary available.
No summary available.