Three title pages of Volume 19: Correspondence of Sir James Edward Smith and his father, James Smith, his mother, Frances Smith, and wife, Pleasance Smith
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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).
Three title pages of Volume 19: Correspondence of Sir James Edward Smith and his father, James Smith, his mother, Frances Smith, and wife, Pleasance Smith
Poem in tribute to a "most belov'd recess/ Dog-hole" [possibly a London Unitarian chapel].
Defends the Roman Catholic faith against Smith's attacks on it in "Sketch": criticises Smith for "picking nettles and moss" instead of visiting the Palace of Caserta, Naples; for commenting on art and statues but labelling a statue of the Virgin Mary "idolatory"; Smith's hypocrisy in despairing of lack of religious freedom in Turin but rejoicing at the anti-Catholic songs sung in Geneva. Defends the Catholic litany; remarks on religious liberty of Protestants in Rome compared to Catholic priests in England; points out that common people are superstitious in all countries, such as maids in London divining from tea leaves; criticises [Jean-Jacques] Rousseau's [(1712-1778), philosopher] contradictions.
Photographic copy of John Opie's (1761-1807) 1798 portrait of Pleasance Smith.
[Note in pencil by Robert Kippist on reverse] received from Lady Smith 17 September 1872.
Transcript of Smith's dedication of "Tour to Hafod" to Thomas Johnes, and preface.
A title page and contents page of Volume 2 of James Edward Smith's Correspondence
List of plants sent to Bellardi by Smith in addition to those marked in Bellardi's desiderata.
Draft of Smith's review John Berkenhout's [(1730-1791), physician and writer] to "Clavis Anglica linguae botanicae" (1789), which appeared in the "Analytical Review" of March or April 1791.
Numbered notes on [Henry] Muhlenberg's North American plant specimens, covering 703-780.
[Note in Smith's hand] "thus far written in letter Dec. 22 1807. Sent by Liverpool to Dr Muhlenberg".
Receipt for a paper and a box carried between Norwich and London, or vice versa, by Samuel C Marsh, signed by J Elmer [presumably connected to printing and proofs of "A selection of the correspondence of Linnaeus" (1821)].
A title page and contents page of Volume 3 of James Edward Smith's Correspondence
The genera 'Turrea' and 'Passiflora'.
A title page and contents page of Volume 4 of James Edward Smith's Correspondence
A title page and contents page of Volume 5 of James Edward Smith's Correspondence
Details of [John] Sibthorp's journeys and collections. Convinced the specimens Smith believes are missing are merely mislaid as duplicates of every uncommon species were collected, one of each being given to Sir Joseph Banks. Recommends contacting [Ferdinand Lucas] Bauer [(1760-1826) botanical artist] for information on plants from first tour in 1787. Details of methodology of Sibthorp's journals and provenance of Dacian, Olympian and Cretan collections. The last tour's collection was given to Dr Wenman although uncertain whether he rearranged or almagamated any of it, in addition to this also collections of plants from Zante and Maina, as well as collections of insects, fish, birds, shells, quadrupeds, and seeds. Smith should have two large and distinct collections of Greek plants from the two tours. Believes if Bauer cannot execute "Flora Graeca" on his own terms he will decline it, citing in part the "sacrafice of liberty in so tedious a work" and the problem of finding good assistants. If he did take on the work would take girls to be his assistants "who are more manageable", reminds him of George Forster's plan to translate English works into German "with the assistance of females".
A title page and contents page of Volume 6 of James Edward Smith's Correspondence
A title page and contents page of Volume 7 of James Edward Smith's Correspondence as well as a portrait of Thomas Martyn and a note on the correspondence from Thomas Martyn
A title page and contents page of Volume 8 of James Edward Smith's Correspondence
A copy of W. Say's engraving of F. Chantrey's bust of Smith, a brief general introduction by Pleasance Smith, and a contents page that preceeds the letters.
A title page and contents page of Volume 9 of James Edward Smith's Correspondence