From:
Charles Babbage
To:
Sir John Herschel
Date:
1813-4
Source of text:
RS:HS 2.9
Summary:
Comments regarding the preface to their memoir. Further comments on JH's equations.
Contributor:
John Herschel Project
Comments regarding the preface to their memoir. Further comments on JH's equations.
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Writes of his journey back to Edinburgh, and of his intended wife.
Requests the following 'Orchidaceae' specimens from the Linnean Herbarium when Smith comes to London: 'Orchis tripetaloides', 'Orchis sancta', 'Orchis flava', 'Orchis tipuloides', 'Satyrium aculatum', 'Satyrium pedicellatum', 'Satyrium hians', 'Ophrys cernua', 'Ophrys camtschatea', 'Serapias capensis', 'Limodorum altum', 'Epidendrum amabile', and 'Epidendrum pusillum'. Additionally requests unsettled 'Epidendrum' and 'Arethusa biplumata', [Francis] Buchanan's "two fine 'Epidendra' figured in "Exotic Botany"", and syngenesious plants 'Barnadeisa spinosa', 'Atractylis purpurea', 'Atractylis mexicana', 'Stachelina ilicifolia', 'Perdicium magellanicum', 'Sphaeranthus chinensis', and 'Jungia ferruginea'. Sir Joseph Banks slowly recovering from his attack of gout.
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Numbered observations on enclosed specimens: flowering specimen of a 'Juncus' he previously sent to [Dawson] Turner, like 'J. campestris' but half the size, proposes name 'J. nivalis'; 2. an 'Arenaria', sent before and very rare, does not agree that it is 'A. verna'; 3. a 'Draba' he sent last year but raised in a frame so too luxuriant, this one from Ben Lawers, proposes name 'D. hispida'; 4. an 'Eriophorum' possibly 'E. scheuchzeri'; 5. a 'Cochlearea', different from 'C. greenlandica'.
As Smith is drawing towards the end of "English botany" suggests he overhauls his previous specimens as Smith will find many has has not taken notice of, especially 'Carex silina' and 'C. saxatilis'. Also encloses specimens of 'Juncus' and 'Fussilago alpina'.
10 specimens, several are identical.
Since receiving Smith's letter has compared his specimens of 'Pyrola' sent from Sweden by [Olof] Swartz to [Nathaniel] Winch under name of 'Pyrola minor'; they agree, and also agree with 'P. minor' of "Flora Danica", but not with [James] Sowerby's figure; observations. His uncle, [Edward] Robson, hopes to see Smith at Linnean Society anniversary meeting. Relates remarks by Sowerby on discrepancies in "English botany" figure of 'Cypripedium'. Smith can figure 'Belula pendula' as species distinct from 'B. alba'; observations.
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