Text Online
From:
Humphry Davy
To:
Michael Faraday
Date:
1 July 1816
Source of text:
IEE MS SC 2, CPB following p.100
Summary:
No summary available.
Contributor:
Faraday Project
No summary available.
[Letter labelled, in red ink]: Sheepshearing
His arrival at Holkham [home of Thomas William Coke], other guests include Duke of Bedford [John Russell, 6th Duke] and Lord Tavistock [Francis Russell, 7th Duke of Bedford (1788-1861)], Lord Albermarle, Sir Watkin William Wynne, Lord Nugent, Mr Greig, General Walpole, Fitzroy, Sir B Hobhouse, Mr Barnwell; viewing and discussion of agriculture, including folding of sheep; a hundred people at dinner.
[William] Roscoe has forbidden any purchases from his library intended to be gifted back to himself [following his bankruptcy]. Coke and others have spoken to Blundell and they hope he will alter his conduct. Disappointed with the likeness of Coke's miniature, done at Liverpool.
No summary available.
Full account of [Thomas William] Coke's meeting is in Stevenson's paper, written by Samuel Taylor junior. Account of Lord Nugent [George Nugent-Grenville, 2nd Baron Nugent (1788-1850)], who was also at Coke's. Details of his and Coke's upcoming visit to Woburn Abbey, [Bedfordshire, home of Duke of Bedford]; shall come to Pleasance in Lowestoft first.
Is sending his paper on functions. Gives some functional equations and their solutions. Will be staying at Torquay until September.
Introduces Kunth; appreciation of Smith's "Introduction to botany"; an article in the "Quarterly".
Introduces C. S. Kunth.
Items for discussion at next week's Council meeting: painting of Linnean Society house, giving leave of absence for [Robert] Brown to go to Paris, and to consider a subscription to purchase [George] Caley's [(1770-1829), farrier and botanist] "collection of New Holland zoology"; asks how much Smith would subscribe, he and Sir Joseph Banks' are both giving £10.
Kunth's work on Humboldt's plants; news.
Recently stayed at Holkham, [Norfolk, home of Thomas William Coke] with Mr Barnwell and Lord Nugent [George Nugent-Grenville, 2nd Baron Nugent (1788-1850)]. Intends to see Professor [Thomas] Martyn on way to visiting Duke of Bedford [John Russell, 6th Duke] with Coke. Invites the Cullums to visit during Norfolk assize week before going to Holkham again.
Beginning of a draft response in Lady Cullum's hand at bottom of recto of second folio.
Has had little leisure to write. Been working on S. F. Lacroix. Regarding the appendix to Lacroix. Is going to the Isle of Wight. Hopes to write a work on analytics. Has heard that CB is writing articles for the journal of the Royal Institution. Would like to write articles for an encyclopaedia.
No summary available.
Introduces [John] Bradbury, who is returning to England after travelling up the Missouri river. Rafinesque asks for his papers to be returned if they are not being published in "Linnean Transactions". Requests introductions to [William Elford] Leach, [Robert] Brown, [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert, [Richard] Salisbury, and "other eminent botanists and zoologists". Criticises Pursh's "Flora America Septentrionalis" for copying names previously published himself. Dr [Samuel Latham] Mitchill of New York [(1764-1831) naturalist] has published 60 new species of fish in first volume of "Transactions of the [New York] Society" and presented them with account of reptiles, crustaceans, testaceurs etc. Rafinesque has discovered new additional species: 'Perca mucronata', 'Petromyzon xanthodon', 'Phycis marginatus', and presented memoir to New York Philosophical Society on Sturgeons of North America. Plans to explore Lakes Champlain and George, [Vermont and New York] for fish.
Received Macleay's letter of 13 [July 1816]. Returning to Norwich, [Norfolk], tomorrow before leaving for [John Russell, 6th] Duke of Bedford's and Holkham [Hall, Norfolk, home of Thomas William Coke]. Sir Benjamin Hobhouse wishes to become a FLS.
Uncertain if [George] Caley's [(1770-1829), farrier and botanist] collection [of New Holland zoology] is worth paying much for; in general he never used to bring such subscriptions before the Linnean Society, thinks "that for [Richard] Relhan's herbarium was entirely thrown away - he & his collection being equally worthless", but will subscribe £10 anyway; thinks the Bishop of Durham [Shute Barrington] "ought to do something for us" and asks Macleay to privately inform his of this subscription.
Asks that all his belongings be sent to Norwich, though his "chapeau may remain". Apologises to [Thomas] Woodward and [John] Stackhouse for missing anniversary meeting.
Accepts Smith's invitation to visit in Norwich. His sister, Mrs Palmer, unwell with a "great weakness" in her bowels. Hopes Smith received parcel of Cayenne plants sent by Sir Thomas Gage on leaving Hengrave, [Suffolk], for the continent.
Leaving for Woburn Abbey, [Bedfordshire, home of John Russell, 6th Duke of Bedford] tomorrow. Received [Thomas] Woodward and [Robert] Stone's [(c 1751-1829), botanist] guinea Linnean Society subscriptions; directions for sending their copies of "Linnean Transactions". Remarks that "pay is become a prevalent word in our language".
No summary available.
Regarding JH's plans for the third part of S. F. Lacroix. Royal Institution and CB's articles for their journal. Hopes that JH will not write his book on Newton yet. Is hoping to publish a work on the Calculus of Functions. Hopes to meet him when in Devon.
Returning home; father dying. News of Cambridge friends. Unable to send information JH requested about university at Ryde. William Whewell upset, because Whewell's father died and was buried before Whewell was notified.
Writing from Woburn's [home of John Russell, 6th Duke] "splendid library". Account of their journey to Woburn [with Thomas William Coke and Mr Cobb]: called on late Mrs Watt's servants, Mr and Mrs Baker, at Swaffham, [Norfolk], who were left £400 each in the will; called on Brewsters at Brandon; could not dine with [Martin] Davy at Cambridge; passed through Lord Ossory's park and saw the inscribed pillar. Describes the party at Woburn, including: Marquis of Bath, wife, and daughter; Lord Clare; Duke of Devonshire; Lord and Lady Tavistock; Lord and Lady Morley. His opinion of the Duchess of Bedford. Lord Bath "very shy". Duke of Bedford has brought many antique marbles, columns, and sculptures from Italy. His projected plans on leaving Woburn. Lady Morley is dressing up various guests "to exhibit characters in pictures".