Returns papers, including: manuscript of [Pehr] Löfling's [(1729-1756), Swedish botanist] with note by [Daniel] Scheidenburg [(b 1720), Swedish clergyman]. Encloses list of her arrangement of [Carl Peter] Thunberg's letters; he has a "cramped & puzzling" hand
At the President's suggestion he is confining his Croonian lecture to the anatomical description of the eye; therefore has not sent the experiments.
Visit from Sir David Smith and wife. Family health. Mr. Davenport is ignoring all letters. Extend invitation to Slough to Mrs. Wrangham and Mrs. Beckwith.
Regarding W. T. Brande's attack on Sir Joseph Banks, and its relation to the Council of the Astronomical Society.
Asks for money pledged for publication of Memoirs of the Analytical Society, which has made no profit. Will be attending testimonial at Cambridge for JW [who has resigned position there].
Thanks for his election to the Astronomical Society. Gives details of his recent activities and those of M. A. Pictet.
Is grateful for the news of his election to the Astronomical Society.
Recollections of his visit to Smith at Norwich and [Thomas William Coke at] Holkham, Norfolk. Gratified by the attentions he received from all on his travels, especially those of Smith's aquaintances "though in humbler stations of life, are the real ornaments of society". John Corrie obliged to leave Cambridge on account of a glandular illness but has now recovered and returned to Cambridge.
Thanks for barrel of oysters. Steadily working on his "English Flora" and hopes to get it to the press in May; expects it to be "quite an original Flora" as he has been revising the whole subject and correcting mistakes made by previous writers and compilers. Asks Goodenough's advice regarding accenting of names and whether to give derivation of generic names. The whole object of the book is "botanical determination". Asks Goodenough's opinion of the "green old age" of [Thomas William] Coke [on 26 February 1822 Coke married for the second time Lady Anne Amelia Keppel (1803-1844), fifty years his junior]. Smith hopes he has done some good with the grasses and triandria monogynia, with which [Robert] Brown is "very great" but refines too much.
No summary available.
Regarding the plan of the tables for the places of the principal stars. Will be unable to attend the meeting of council on Friday. Will send memorandum for discussion.
Wishes to resign from the secretaryship of the Astronomical Society.
Thinks Smith has a massive task with his "English Flora" if it encompasses all he proposes. As the object of the work is botanical determination advises accenting generic and specific names throughout and offers a system. Does not advise giving etymology of generic and specific names. Attended a rare daytime Linnean Society council meeting, believes that if it is always held in day attendance would be sufficient. Thinks there is "something undoubtedly very preposterous" in Thomas William Coke's marriage [to Lady Anne Amelia Keppel (1803-1844), fifty years his junior]; many people are talking about it. It is expected that Mrs Coutts will distribute Mr Coutts property as he intended after leaving everything to her to avoid legacy tax.
Shocked by death of [Professor E. D. Clarke], JH supports [J. S.] Henslow as candidate to succeed Clarke. Apologizes for incorrect charging of JW for Analytical Society Memoirs [see JH's 1822-2-23]. Asks JW to find out whether William Whewell will write article on physical astronomy.
Has he received the copies of the Vienna Observations? Encloses a small pamphlet of interest to mariners. What does he think of Josef Fraunhofer's micrometer for observing double stars? Is writing this letter on his birthday.
Takes on advice in Goodenough's last letter on "English Flora": only explanations of generic names will be for those new to British readers; praises Goodenough's plan for accenting but decides to adopt a simpler system. Queries whether [Augustin] de Candolle's new term, "carpella", for the single grains of compound fruits should not be "carpiola". Adopting [Johann von] Schreber's [(1739-1810)] genus 'Spartina' for 'Dactylis stricta' but the French have called it 'Limnetis'. Fears [William] Swainson has not succeeded in his attempts for a British Museum post. Regrets that party politics should make men such as [Thomas William] Coke and Edmund Wodehouse [(1784-1855), politician] enemies; feels some alarm at difference in age between Coke and his new wife [fifty years his junior]. [William] Roscoe preparing a "very excellent distribution of the species of 'Canna'" for Linnean Society.
No summary available.
Explains further his remarks on accenting plant names. [Augustin] de Candolle's term "carpella" should be "carpelli". Cannot work out term "sepala" but thinks Smith need not use it. Prefers older name of 'Spartina' for 'Dactylis stricta' rather than newer 'Limnetis'. Franked Smith's letter to [William] Roscoe. Attended Sir Humphry Davy's conversazione but did not hear anything about [William] Swainson's application to British Museum. In reference to fifty year age difference between Thomas William Coke and his new wife [Lady Anne Amelia Keppel (1803-1844)] states that an age difference in marriage of three to ten years is "disparity enough" but as the love was from her side Coke may be excused.
Mr. Schenck will consider favorably proposition made when JH passed through Berne, provided it is compatible with S's position and suitable for a married man.
No summary available.