No summary available.
No summary available.
Suitable for Smith and his friend to visit on Tuesday, hopes they will also go to Bulstrode [Park, Buckinghamshire, home of Duke of Portland]. Will manage herself the arrangements for Governor [Arthur] Phillip [(1738-1814), first governer of New South Wales] to visit.
Thanks for Woodward's letters of 15 May [1793] and 24 May [1793]. He and [James] Sowerby request specimens of 'Cineraria palustris', 'Convolvulus soldanella', 'Atriplex pedunculata', 'A. portulacoides', and 'Trifolium suffocatum'. He and [Richard] Relhan have conversed on the "diseased anemone". Woodward's additional observations on 'Fucus hypoglossum' will be read shortly at Linnean Society. Message from [Samuel] Goodenough regarding "doctrine of diaecious 'Fucus'" and Woodward's account of Solander's manuscript.
"Natural History of New Holland" delayed by quarrel between Shaw and Nodder; hopes latter will be "got rid of, but it requires some dexterity". Unanimously elected to the Upsala Academy. Asks for Woodward to send wild 'Crataegus torminalis' in flower at Ditchingham. Hopes Woodward will approve of what he wrote of "poor [William] Hudson" in June number of "English botany", "he has been too much run down". Comments on ladies' fashion for "pads", with small ink sketch. Read Woodward's letter on 'Ruscus' with pleasure.
Pleased his response to Smith's enquiries about 'Lithospermum' was satisfactory. Prices for his "Synopsis of birds" and "Index [ornithologicus]".
Invites Smith to visit in August.
Returns his revised paper on 'Lycoperdon anemones', for possible publication and so it is at the Linnean Society before [Richard] Relhan's publication on same. Offers to send specimens of 'Pinguicula villosa' and 'Gentiana filiformis' for [James] Sowerby to draw; explains how he was the first person to find them outside of Cornwall.
Sending living plants of 'Pinguicula villosa'. Will send 'Gentiana filiformis' later in year.
Despite an arduous voyage home benefited greatly from his visit to Portugal; avoided a fresh attack of periprieumony, though the climate is not suitable for consumptive patients. Stayed with the Abbe Corrêa, much pleased with his company; transmitted Smith's message of his being a bad correspondent, he has been busy planting and establishing a Portuguese Royal Society; announcement of elections of Smith and Sir Joseph Banks delayed on account of ceremonial matters; the Society's intentions, fears ignorance and bigotry of the nobles and princes will crush Corrêa's "seeds of free enquiry".
Fears the specimens of 'Fucus stipulata' he collected for Smith will no longer be fresh. Professor Vandelli has had to give up some of his natural history and chemistry studies on account of his government post and advancing age. Father Mariana, a native of Brazil, has brought extensive collections of fish, insects, and plants from that place to Portugal, accompanied with drawings made by himself; to be published in 12-14 volumes at Venice, though Portugal is ignorant of the value of the collections.
In spite of [Francis] Masson [(1741-1805), Kew plant collector] having twice "rifled the Flora of Portugal" believes he found a few new plants, offers them for "Plantae rariores" or "Spicilegium botanicum". Encloses seeds of a new grass he calls 'Bromus diandra', to be shared with Banks and [William] Aiton [(1731-1793), director Kew Gardens 1759-1793].
Intends to begin work on new edition of the "Botanic Arrangement" soon; asks Smith's opinion of best and most authentic edition of Linnaeus' "Species plantarum". "English botany" "does much credit to its author, & must find an extensive sale in the present fashionable rage for the study"; pleased to see so few of the more common plants which have been so often figured before.
Happy to see that [Thomas] Marsham is "more profitably employed than attending the Linnean Society". Has been unable to attend since the hours were changed, suprised at Smith sanctioning them. Critiques an unnamed book apparently on ancient mythology. Recommends "History of the Heavens" ["Histoire du ciel considéré selon..."] by same author of "Spectacle de la Nature" [Noël-Antoine Pluche (1688-1761) French priest].
Sending numbered Lancastrian plants for Smith's attention, including all the local ferns. Will send mosses and lichens in next shipment, of which he has observed 'Lycopodia', 'Mnia', 'Sphagnum', 'Phaseum', 'Fontinalis', 'Polytrichum', 'Brya', 'Hypna', 'Jungermannia', and 'Marchantia'. Cannot obtain Dillenius' "excellent work" ["Historia muscorum"] but expecting [Johann] Hedwig's "later works" ["Descriptio muscorum"]. Assisted with his work on lichens by [Georg Franz] Hoffmann's "Enumeratio lichenum". Using Schaeffer's "Fungi" to identify the local fungi but still unsure on many. Asks for Smith's particular attention on several numbered plants. Generally confused by 'Carex', 'Solidago', 'Aster', 'Asclepias', 'Polygala', and 'Hedysarum'. Unfortunate that [William] Aiton's "Hortus Kewensis" is out of print as it is valuable for American botanists. Lists some of his American botanical correspondents: Dr Culler in New England; Mitchill in New York; Barton, Barkram, and Marshall in Pennsylvania; Kramsch in North Carolina; and in Germany [Johann Christian Daniel von] Schreber and Hoffmann. Asks Smith to investigate a box of specimens sent to Philadelphia by Hoffmann but possibly delayed in London.
On behalf of Royal Scientific Society of Uppsala acknowledges receipt of Smith's edition of "Flora Lapponica". Apologises for delay in replying.
Their university's "Museum anatomicum" has finally come off the press; sending copies to Smith, British Museum, and Sir Joseph Banks. Requests copies of all Smith's works and copies of first two volumes of "Linnean Transactions", which he hopes will settle the exchange between them.
Has recommended Smith to Schuurmans Steckhoven, whose grandfather was director of Vienna Botanic Gardens, who is seeking a London correspondent to exchange plants with. Requests English version of "Icones pictae" for a friend in Amsterdam who does not understand the Latin.
Arrangements for his and Cousin K's [Nathaniel Kindersley] visit; he means to bring Howlings [his manservant?]. He has sat twice for [John] Rising [(1753-1817), portrait and subject painter], who has much improved his portrait to satisfaction of his sister, Miss Lane, and Sir Abraham Hume. Just received notification of his unanimous election to the Upsal Academy, particuarly pleased as the Swedes can have no partiality to him. Financial arrangements._x000D_
Corrects mistake of his father's regarding passage of [Jean-Jacques] Rousseau [(1712-1778), philosopher]; of his father's opinion regarding Esther and Fanny's [Smith's sisters] reading of him.
Sending two of his papers, ready for publication, and some plants, including a lichen from Japan, possibly 'Lichen saccharinus', 'Gnidia pinifolia' Linnaeus, and 'Passerina filiformis' and 'P. ericoides', for comparison. Hopes Smith received the parcel sent in April containing plants, articles, and description of 'Hemionitis parasitica'.
Touched by Smith's letter regarding her father [John Ellis (c 1710-1776), zoologist]. Would like to see Smith's collections when she is next in London.
[On the reverse of this letter is a note by Pleasance Smith stating that Mrs Watt was the only child of John Ellis FRS, "illustrous as the author of a work on Corallines" and direction to an additional letter in the "Memoirs and Correspondence of Sir James Edward Smith" [see RelatedMaterial below]]