Asks Smith to return duplicate copy of [William] Curtis' "Flora Londinensis" and enclosed note to Curtis. Offers to resolve any doubts Smith may have regarding plants in Sherardian or Dillenius collections.
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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).
Asks Smith to return duplicate copy of [William] Curtis' "Flora Londinensis" and enclosed note to Curtis. Offers to resolve any doubts Smith may have regarding plants in Sherardian or Dillenius collections.
Congratulates Smith on acquisition of the Linnaean collections. Informs Smith the sale was settled with [Johan Gustaf] Acrel for 900 guineas just before Sibthorp offered 1000 guineas. Swedes angry with Acrel selling the collection. Recommends Smith visits Göttingen. Asks Smith to send [Joseph] Black's "Lectures on [the elements of] Chemistry". Requests catalogue of Linnaeus' books. Message for [Jonas] Dryander that Sir Joseph [Banks] could acquire much of his desiderata at an upcoming auction by Professor Spielman in Strasbourg. Message for [John] Lightfoot that he has almost a complete collection of the terrestrial and fresh water shells of Switzerland to send to the Duchess of Portland [Margaret Cavendish Bentinck (1715-1785) wife of 2nd Duke of Portland].
Botanical news: asks if [James Dickson] has published his "Lyncean discoveries"; informed by [Pierre Marie Auguste] Broussonet of a 'Rosa unifolia' from Ispahan, Persia, in the Paris garden; presumes first part of L'Héritier's "Plant. Rarior" is almost ready; [Carl Peter] Thunberg has been examining 'Bohun upas' which he believes to be a species of 'Sideroxylon'; believes Ferber will succeed to chair of Bergman; [Johann Christian Daniel von] Schreber is writing monograph on 'Aster' and dissertation on 'Boletus suaveolens'; flora and fauna of Lombardy expected from [Giovanni Antonio] Scopoli; [Werner de] Lachenal [(1736-1800)] and [Horace Bénédict de] Saussure [(1740-1799)] collecting materials for a natural history of Switzerland. Is in Göttingen as a practitioner and observing use of medicinal plants including experimenting with 'Caryophyllata' and as the hospital is run by "a pupil of Vienna" so 'Cicuta', 'Arnica', and 'Pulsatilla' are in constant use.