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).
[Translation by Anna Gurney, not dated, references to posthumous publications of Peter Forsskål provide estimate of 1775 for date of original letter]
Death of Professor [Peter] Forsskål [(1732-1763), Swedish naturalist and explorer]; sending his posthumous works "Flora aegyptiaco-arabica" and "Descriptiones animalium" to Linnaeus.
[Incomplete translation of letter dated 6 June 1775, by Anna Gurney]
Enclosing list of plants from Sweden which are not listed in "Flora Anglica".
Defends the Roman Catholic faith against Smith's attacks on it in "Sketch": criticises Smith for "picking nettles and moss" instead of visiting the Palace of Caserta, Naples; for commenting on art and statues but labelling a statue of the Virgin Mary "idolatory"; Smith's hypocrisy in despairing of lack of religious freedom in Turin but rejoicing at the anti-Catholic songs sung in Geneva. Defends the Catholic litany; remarks on religious liberty of Protestants in Rome compared to Catholic priests in England; points out that common people are superstitious in all countries, such as maids in London divining from tea leaves; criticises [Jean-Jacques] Rousseau's [(1712-1778), philosopher] contradictions.
The genera 'Turrea' and 'Passiflora'.
Transcription of part of letter from [Jacob] Wyttenbach relating his knowledge of sale of Haller's collections and a fireworks display held in Berne the same year costing as much as the collections were sold for, including anecdotes on dispersal of specimens, the younger Haller and Wyttenbach's abandoned proposal to publish new edition of [Albrecht von] Haller's "Historia stirpium indigenarum".
Engraving of a middle-aged Carl Linnaeus. Inscription in pencil on bottom of page: "given by Mr Brightwell 1826. Taken from a bust in the Royal Gardens in Stockholm by J M Johnson, 1824".
Two pages of [James] Sowerby's account with Smith, the first dated 23 January 1794 and written by James Smith, detailing monies owed to Sowerby, and the second covering 1798-1799 and written by James Edward Smith's, detailing monies owed to Smith.
Details of [John] Sibthorp's journeys and collections. Convinced the specimens Smith believes are missing are merely mislaid as duplicates of every uncommon species were collected, one of each being given to Sir Joseph Banks. Recommends contacting [Ferdinand Lucas] Bauer [(1760-1826) botanical artist] for information on plants from first tour in 1787. Details of methodology of Sibthorp's journals and provenance of Dacian, Olympian and Cretan collections. The last tour's collection was given to Dr Wenman although uncertain whether he rearranged or almagamated any of it, in addition to this also collections of plants from Zante and Maina, as well as collections of insects, fish, birds, shells, quadrupeds, and seeds. Smith should have two large and distinct collections of Greek plants from the two tours. Believes if Bauer cannot execute "Flora Graeca" on his own terms he will decline it, citing in part the "sacrafice of liberty in so tedious a work" and the problem of finding good assistants. If he did take on the work would take girls to be his assistants "who are more manageable", reminds him of George Forster's plan to translate English works into German "with the assistance of females".
A title page of Volume 15: Correspondence of Sir James Edward Smith with Sir Thomas Frankland, 6th baronet and Mary Watson-Wentworth, marchioness of Rockingham
Note on Mary Watson-Wentworth's grandparents and pedigree.
A title page of Volume 16: Correspondence of Sir James Edward Smith and Mariamne and Thomas Johnes and Andrew Fountaine
A title page of Volume 17: Correspondence of Sir James Edward Smith and William Roscoe
A title page of Volume 18: Correspondence of Sir James Edward Smith and Thomas Jenkinson Woodward
Three title pages of Volume 19: Correspondence of Sir James Edward Smith and his father, James Smith, his mother, Frances Smith, and wife, Pleasance Smith
A title page and contents page of Volume 2 of James Edward Smith's Correspondence
A title page and contents page of Volume 3 of James Edward Smith's Correspondence
A title page and contents page of Volume 4 of James Edward Smith's Correspondence
A title page and contents page of Volume 5 of James Edward Smith's Correspondence
A title page and contents page of Volume 6 of James Edward Smith's Correspondence
A title page and contents page of Volume 7 of James Edward Smith's Correspondence as well as a portrait of Thomas Martyn and a note on the correspondence from Thomas Martyn