Sending continuation of his "Historia lichenum tinctor. Svec."; [Olof] Swartz has already sent two installments; publication plans for remainder of work. News of [Erik] Acharius and Swartz.
Sending continuation of his "Historia lichenum tinctor. Svec."; [Olof] Swartz has already sent two installments; publication plans for remainder of work. News of [Erik] Acharius and Swartz.
Advises Smith not to engage with or react to [Richard] Salisbury in any way during next trip to London. [Jonas] Dryander is against Salisbury. Wish he had known that Smith's papers for "Linnean Transactions" had been voted to be printed and yet left out of the last volume. Salisbury "commits himself in all his writings - it does not require so able a naturalist as yourself to cut him up by the roots".
Sorry he could not see Smith again before leaving London. Describes his return to Liverpool: express coaches were organised to hasten his return from London and he was welcomed into Liverpool by friends, though on reaching the Exchange a "scene took place" which he has described in the enclosed paper [extant - JES/COR/17/48] [Roscoe found himself in the centre of a riot orchestrated by local slave traders]. The election is to commence shortly and there are only two candidates, but he does not dare exposing himself and his friends to the to "public vengeance" directed against him.
Received Smith's letter of 15 October [1806]. Sorry that he could not send Smith cuttings of 'Salix phylicifolia' and 'Salix sphacetata' as the place he got them from for [John] Lightfoot has since been cleared and ploughed. Has sent Smith a box of doubtful specimens including 'Salix' and other plants, listed: 'Salix myrsinites' Linnaeus and Lightfoot; undetermined 'Salix'; 'Salix fusca'; 'Salix arbuscula'; 'Salix lapponum'; 'Salix raticulata'; possible 'Salix incubacea'; 'Arbutus alpinus'; 'Erica dabaecia'; 'Azalea procumbens'; 'Rubus arcticus'; 'Cornus suecica'; 'Carex atrata'; '[Festuca calamaria]'; 'Acrostichum ilvense'; and 'Lycopodium inundatum'. Glad that Smith has principal charge of publishing of "Flora Graeca". His home and family life.
Glad of Smith's good health; hopes he keeps out of aggravating London air. Defeated in Liverpool election "with about 400 single unsolicited votes"; blames the "great animosity" against him on account of the slave trade, suspects it is sometimes conveyed "in the more popular phrase of Church & King". Encloses an address on the matter; his friends insist there were irregularities in the poll but he is fed up of the "violence, abusy, & scrutiny" of elections.
Sorry to hear of Smith's ill-health; he himself has been ill all winter with a very severe bilious attack, which leaves him unable to accept invitation Smith's invitation of meeting at the Freemasons Tavern, sends apologies to Linnean Society. Invites Smith to dine with him at home.