Hopes Smith's health is better. Sends parcel of plants from [Jacob] Bigelow. Opinion on a pamphlet on young of snakes. Sent Smith's letter of introduction to [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert. New Derbyshire habitat for 'Clavaria ardenia'.
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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).
Hopes Smith's health is better. Sends parcel of plants from [Jacob] Bigelow. Opinion on a pamphlet on young of snakes. Sent Smith's letter of introduction to [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert. New Derbyshire habitat for 'Clavaria ardenia'.
Thanks for turkey. Pleased Smith's complaint is reducing but his measures not energetic enough; recommends 40 drops of laudanum a day, to add carbonate of ammonia to his camomile tea and tincture of 'Gentiana', to eat as much meat as possible, and to drink Bristol water, for several years.
Thanks for turkies and buns. Comments on Smith's article on botany in the "Scotch Encyclopedia" [Rees' "Cyclopedia"], which he had previously neglected to peruse; admires his defence of Linnaeus' natural classes but considers De Jussieu's system superior. Comments on the "immense" improvement in botany since he first started studying it, citing Smith and [James] Sowerby's "English botany", which would have saved him years of labour.
[Note in Smith's hand] this letter printed in "Selection of the Correspondence of Linnaeus" vol 2 p.577.
Sends specimens of American locust and Hessian fly from Judge [Richard] Peters [(1743-1828)], president of the Agricultural Society of Philadelphia, and seven papers also from Peters on these subjects.
Professor of Physic will not oppose Smith giving lectures or using the Physic garden, and confident that if Smith's other friend exerts himself another curator of the garden will be gained in Smith's favour [in reference to Smith's campaign for Cambridge botany professorship]. Advises Smith to come in person to look over his interests. Asks if Smith is to make any alterations to "Flora Britannica" as he intends to have his bound.
Has been touring Europe but nowhere has delighted him as much as Britain. His impressions of Paris: thinks the French have "not only hung up their harps but hung themselves up also", and though there are as many French here as previously, and there is hardly French character enough about Paris for it to be called the capital of France; great influx of English.
Thanks for turkey. Received letter and new work from [Augustin Pyramus] de Candolle who plans to come to England in May or June. Expecting sixth part of [Alexander von] Humboldt's "Nova genera et species", Humboldt planning to come to England in February. Asks after his paper on 'Cinchona' he sent Smith as he has additional observations to add.
Requests information on Greek melons from the collections of Smith or Sibthorp. Refers to a "melopepon", called by the French "sucrin", and Aristotle's remarks on melons.
The deaths of Dr [Edward] Rigby's [(1747-1821)] quadruplets reported in the newspapers; Goodenough very interested in the case and presumes from their weight that they were very small. Informed that Princess Charlotte's baby weighed 10 lbs [4.5 kg]; before the birth her size was described as alarming [the baby was stillborn and Princess Charlotte died shortly afterwards].
[Thomas] Marsham, his wife, and remaining daughter have moved from Winchmore Hill to Piccadilly, opposite the Lodge in Green Park. Goodenough refuses to have anything more to do with him, and has since heard that he was given £2000 and £200 per annum after losing his job at the West India Docks, but all was seized by other creditors; despairs of the Linnean Society ever recovering the money. Some in the Society say it is obliged to Marsham. "Immense numbers" seeking admission to the Society but [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert could only name two scientific naturalists.
Received Smith's letter of 14 December; clarifies that whilst he appreciates Linnean Society members with "good pockets, but no brains" he only wanted to hold up the "evil of indiscriminate admission". Discusses [Thomas] Marsham's dishonesty regarding his taking Linnean Society money and how a gift of £2000 from directors of West India Docks was instantly seized by creditors; doubts the Society will ever recoup its money.
Thinks that if Princess Charlotte had been of "common rank" and had a glass of the "good creature" she would have survived [Princess Charlotte (1796-1817), daughter of George IV, died 6 November 1817 of complications following childbirth]. Hopes Smith received the barrel of oysters he sent. Sorry to see [William] Hone [(1780-1842), political writer and publisher] acquitted of ridiculing "the most sacred services of the Established Church"; "well disposed people are roused to see the danger of letting the ignorant rabble loose upon the venerable orders & ordinances of mankind", Goodenough expects a crisis soon.