Regret at Smith's departure. Found a butterfly she thinks the "great tortoiseshell butterfly", will try to send a specimen. Found a curious bright yellow fungus in the stove house, will send specimen with letter.
Showing 1–11 of 11 items
Regret at Smith's departure. Found a butterfly she thinks the "great tortoiseshell butterfly", will try to send a specimen. Found a curious bright yellow fungus in the stove house, will send specimen with letter.
Thanks for Smith's letter and plant. She has been ill with the mumps. Pleased Smith thought the beetle she found in her father's room and sent curious, she does not want it returned and not disappointed it proved common. Sends coloured drawing of a lichen [extant] by Mr Trossavelli after failing to remove it from the stone. Encloses dried specimen of a fern she has found [extant]. Demands that Mr Edwards write and inform them whether he intends to visit.
Specimen of fern, wrapper annotated by Smith "'[Polypodium] cristatum'", and by Johnes, detailing the location it was found.
Note by Thomas Johnes [on separate folio] that he read the letter before it was sent.
Drawing of lichen [Smith has annotated on reverse: "'L. geographicus'"]
Notes and observations on the 'Hypericum' Smith sent from Wales, which nearly approaches 'H. perforatum' but seems clearly distinct; the 'Gnaphalium' is undoubtedly 'G. rectum'. Comparison of prices for books owned by [Thomas] Johnes' and [Andrew] Fountaine. Finest harvest almost ever remembered, with great bulk of barley, oats, peas, and beans; wheat not quite as good. Death of Lee a "great loss" to Smith. [Andrew] Caldwell's disappointment at frustrated Guernsey trip; suggests he supplies 'Fucus' from Irish coast; Caldwell's promise of supplying Irish halfpence, lists the varieties.
His son a victim of the Revolution; his work in Nat. Hist.; acquisition of books.
Received packet of Smith's publications and collection of New Holland [Australian] plants, particularly pleased with "Icones pictae plantarum" and "Tour on the Continent", would like to translate latter into German. Pleased with [John Blachford] who is staying with him after Smith's introducing him, teaching him botany whilst [Johann Friedrich] Blumenbach teaches him "chineralogy", hopes he will become "a Lightfoot for Ireland". Has heard from Dr Harrison that Smith is engaged in a new "Systema Vegetibilum". Shall send Smith his "Plant. Veg. Subterran." as soon as it appears. Thanks for election as FMLS.
Thanks for Smith's letter. Laments death of [James] Lee [(1715-1795), gardener] and loss of his friendly communications. Pleased that Smith's trip to Wales was a success, believes it will be "for the general benefit of science" for Smith to have similar opportunities. The negligence of his gardener has forced him to give up cultivating stove plants and convert his stove into a forcing house for grapes and peaches. The stove plants have been sent to a cousin in Yorkshire but has reserved for himself 'Strelitzia', 'Pulmeria rubra', 'Xylophila latifolia', and 'Portlandia', offers to send any to friends of Smith; half of the 'Strelitzia' is already in Lady de Clifford's stove [Sophia Southwell]. Lady Rockingham [Mary Watson-Wentworth] recovering only very slowly from her illness, believes it originated from repeated "injudicious" bleedings several months ago.
Happy that Smith has accepted his 'Strelitzia'. Reassures Smith he has not lost his partiality for plants in disposing of his stove but has only tired of being disappointed by "ungrateful and worthless" gardeners. Thinks his new gardener will be better. Hopes that Smith's move to Hammersmith will not deprive him of his company.
Informed by [Thomas] Woodward that Smith approves of his work ["Nereis Britannica"]. Inspired by his disupte with [Thomas] Velley [over floresence of plants and seaweed] to investigate seaweed fructification with a microscope, details some of his observations, particularly the production of seeds and air bladders, from examination of: '[Fucus] vesiculosus', 'F. spiralis', 'F.nodosus', 'F. carnaliculatus', 'F. siliquosus', 'F. digitatus, 'F. polyschides', 'F. palmatus', and 'Ulva umbilicalis'. Shall send samples of two or three sea plants. Sending his paper on 'Herniaria glabra' which rectifies other authors' previous errors, including sketch and specimen [see RelatedMaterial below]. Believes the lack of reviews for his book is due to his not having advertised it very widely.
Large parcel for Smith, including: West Indies plants, mostly those mentioned in his "Prodromus"; six parts of the "Acta Holm" of the [Swedish] Academy [of Sciences], the first part includes Smith's paper on 'Sprengelia', plus a silver jetton, and the new lichens described in the transactions; and 'Lichen deustus' and 'Lichen polyrrhizos' for Smith's opinion. Believes they should only search for the lichens of Dillenius, even Linnaeus considered lichens to be the "crux botanicorum". Has heard that the New Holland [Australia] colony is progressing well, asks if Smith has received the lichens, ferns, mosses and algae he sent from there.
Sends plants. Has news of his relations. News of others.
Thanks for Smith's "Tour". Sends a silver medallion for his paper on 'Sprengelia'.