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The Linnean Society of London Collection
The scientific and personal correspondence of James Edward Smith (1759-1828), purchaser of the collections of Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778) and founder of the Linnean Society of London in 1788, was presented to the Linnean Society between 1857 and 1872 by his widow Pleasance Smith (1773-1877). Since then, it has been complemented by additional series. The collection was catalogued, conserved, and digitised from 2010 to 2013, thanks to the generous support of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Letters can be searched through Ɛpsilon, with links to images and summaries available on the Linnean Society’s Online Collections (http://linnean-online.org/smith_correspondence.html).
Signed [William Fitt] Drake's Linnean Society nomination certificate and sent on to [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert. Just received [William Jackson] Hooker's "interesting" work on Iceland ["Journal of a tour in Iceland" (1809)]. Sent oysters.
Arrived at Rose Castle, [Cumberland], after 5 days "tedious" travel on account of invalids. Has long been wanting to write to Smith about the "variety of portentous matters which have lately engaged all men's minds". His extreme busyness.
Corrected Smith's papers. Tried to see Lord Sidmouth [Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth (1757-1844)], advises Smith to write to him "without delay" [presumably in reference to Smith's Cambridge botany professor campaign].
Hopes to see Smith in London. Details of Mrs Stoddard's case regarding dispute over manor of Kirkland, [Cumberland]. [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert in London and in much better condition than he expected; he has been in a "most alarming mental state". His plan for binding "English botany".
Just returned from Oxford address; unable to attend Linnean Society on 7 May due to prior engagement.
Forwarded Smith's letter to Mr Napier. Pleased Smith will be at Linnean Society anniversary meeting. Hears from [Alexander] MacLeay that [Thomas] Marsham is unwell; hopes this is not a ruse to avoid payment of the money Marsham owes the Society. Smith's information about [Edward] Rudge "without a shadow of foundation".
Just received Goodenough's letter about 'Avena alpina' and 'Arundo neglecta'; response. Would like to buy Schrader's "Flora Germanica". Observations on Goodenough's remarks on 'Hieracium' and 'Galium', confident he has all the nondescript and new ones described in "Flora Britannica". Thanks for seeds. Goodenough mistaken about 'Chironia' and 'Exacum'; observations. Has grown 'Pinguicula vulgaris', observations. Found 'Chironia centaurium', observed that it takes two seasons to vegetate.
Observations on enclosed specimens: 1-6. specimens of a 'Lichen' in every state of growth possible; further discussion of cryptogams.
Numbered observations on enclosed plants, gathered on trip to Angushire coast in summer of 1809: 1. 'Dactylis glauca', differences between it and 'D. glomerata'; 2. 'Festuca glauca'; 3. 'Aira'; 4. 'Poa' possibly 'P. bulbosa'; 5. 'Poa procumbens' first time found in Scotland; 6. 'Poa' possible variety of 'P. pratensis', proposes name 'P. pubescens'; 7. new 'Poa' proposes name 'P. depaupirata'.
Asks Goodenough to forward this letter to Dr [James Edward] Smith.
Numbered observations on enclosed grasses: 1. 'Poa glauca'; 2. a 'Poa' distinct from 'P. glauca' and 'P. gromerata'; 3. a 'Poa' like no.2 but in a different colour; 4. 'Poa' like 'P. memoralis', hopes Schrader's "Flora Germanica" will throw light on it, impatient to hear from Goodenough on that matter; 5. 'Avena' [Goodenough annotation: proposes name 'A. distans']; 6. 'Festuca' like 'F. casia' [Smith annotation: "'rubra'? not near 'casia'"]; 7. 'Poa' possible variety of 'P. pratensis'; has a new 'Rosa' like 'R. involuta' [Smith annotation: "does it differ from 'remota'?"]; 8. 'Carex' possibly 'C. straminea' of Willdenow.
He has 2 varities of 'Chaerophyllum aureum'; observations on plants growing on them. Two different species of 'Rosa spinosissima', one of which would answer to name 'R. glauca'. After further examination convinced the 'Glechoma' he previously sent is a species.
Asks Goodenough to forward this letter to Dr [James Edward] Smith.
Sends specimen of 'Festuca' which he has cultivated for 3 years, lists marks of distinction from 'F. elatior', proposes name 'F. longifolia' or 'F. altissimo'. Also encloses piece of stem of 'F. elatior'.
Numbered observations on enclosed plants: 1. a 'Rosa' which he proposes naming 'R. nivalis'; 2. a 'Rosa' he proposes naming 'R. glauca'. Going to mountains of Bredalbane and Ben Lawers tomorrow in hope of finding rarities.
Had a successful botanical excursion to Ben Lawers, though was sorry to just miss [William] Borrer.
Encloses lichens and mosses. Numbered remarks on enclosed specimens: 1. 'Carex ustulata' of Wahlenberg; 2. 'Erioparum gracile' of "Annals of Botany"; 3. 'Cerastium' proposes name 'nivalis'; remarks on 'Festuca' he sent in last letter; 4. 'Dicranum longifolium'; 5. 'Gymnostomum luteolum'.
Intends to visit mountains of Clova soon. 'Andromeda caeruleo' has been found in Scotland, though not by himself.
He has just received two specimens of 'Andromeda caerulea', one of which he encloses and the other he sends to [James] Brodie; discovered by his friends Messrs James and Brown, nurserymen, who accompanied him on his first Highland excursions on his return from England, where they discovered: 'Juncus castaneus', 'Carex pulla', 'Festuca calamaria', 'Spergula saginoides', 'Bartsia alpina', 'Veronica saxatilis', and 'Convalaria verticillata', between 1786 and 1792, "long before the late [John] Mackay [(1772-1802), nurseryman and gardener] knew anything whatever about plants", they sent specimens to both Mackay and Dickson.
Numbered observations on enclosed plants: 2. 'Carex leptalea' of Wahlenberg; 3. 'Eriophorum scheuchzeri', only specimen he has found of it, requests its return; 4. 'Spartum'; encloses specimen of 'Carex diocia' for comparison with the 'C. leptalea'l; 5. 'Carex'; 6. 'Poa' possibly 'P. pumilis'.
Asks Goodenough to forward this letter to Dr [James Edward] Smith.
Uncertain whether to continue sending specimens to Goodenough until he hears back from regarding previously sent ones.
Numbered remarks on enclosed specimens: 'Saxifraga', marginal note suggests it may be 'S. petraea' of Linnaeus; 2. 'Lamium' possibly true 'L. maculatum' of Linnaeus [Smith annotation: "not wild?"]; 3. 'Poa', may be just 'P. annua' variety; 4. 'Lichen alcicornis' of Lightfoot. Asks Goodenough to forward this letter to Dr [James Edward] Smith.
2 specimens of grasses.
Numbered observations on enclosed specimens: 1. a 'Saxifraga'; 2. a 'Saxifraga' different from all palmated ones currently described; 3. previously unnoticed 'Saxifraga', close to 'S. elongella', proposes name 'S. fragella'; 4. 'Cerastium' like 'C. arvensis'.
Asks Goodenough to forward this letter to Dr [James Edward] Smith.
Discusses specimens of 'Triticum' previously sent to Goodenough, encloses specimen of 'T. alpinum', very rare. Numbered observations on enclosed specimens: 2. nondescript 'Bromus' like 'B. sylvaticus'; 3. 'Aira' like 'A. caespitosa', proposes name 'A. gromerata'; 4. a new 'Statice', proposes name 'S. alba' or 'S. subulata'. Asks Goodenough to forward this letter to Dr [James Edward] Smith.
Numbered observations on enclosed specimens: 1. a 'Cercia' gathered in shade of Clova mountain; 2. a 'Pyrethrum', new species found some years ago; 3. a nondescript 'Epilobium' from River Novan; 4. 'Chaerophyllum aromaticum' sent two years ago, discovered by River [indecipherable]; 5. a 'Mentha' possibly variety of 'M. arvensis, proposes name 'M. alpina'; 6. nondescript 'Hieracium' discovered Clova 1812, proposes name 'H. viridiflorum'; 7. a 'Hieracium', same as specimen 3 sent 23 June 1813.
"Wonderful [George] Don! What things he finds!", will forward letter to Norwich. 'Sedum ochroleucum' just on point of flowering and the two carnations growing well. Lists the rarities in his garden, in hope of tempting Smith to visit Rose Castle: 'Orobus sylvaticus', 'Alchemilla alpina', 'Campanula rotundifolia' (Scotch variety), 'Vaccinium oxycoccos', 'Sedum ochroleucum', 'Eryngium alpinum', 'Hieracium mucorum'.
Sends two more packets from "the wonderful man" [George Don], thinks Don's 'Rosa glauca' should be named 'Rosa sanguisorbifolia' on account of the leaf. His field containing 'Galium witheringii' has been mowed but will search for more and send to [James] Sowerby if successful, did not realise it was so rare to Smith.
On first looking at the 'Rosa glauca' he thought it had the exact leaf of 'Sanguisorba officinalis'.
"Indefatigable" [George] Don sends Smith "packet after packet of rich stores". Don wants his [Goodenough] opinion on his new 'Avena pubescens' but will submit to Smith instead. All is quiet in this neighbourhood now; the "riots & murders in this part of the world originated in those shameful Parliamentary speeches we have heard of late, and in the intemperate conduct of our Magistrates".
Separate note on identifying features of enclosed specimens.
Three specimens of 'Avena'.