From:
Joseph Banks
To:
Nevil Maskelyne
Date:
9 March 1787
Source of text:
MM/7/58, Royal Society
Summary:
No summary available.
Contributor:
Royal Society
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Confusion over Stelarzani business, following letters from [Giovanni Antonio] Scopoli and Seraphin Volta. [Charles Louis] L'Héritier [de Brutelle] is in England being difficult with specimens. Value of [Olof] Swartz's herbarium, "the best botanist [Banks] has seen since dear Solander's death". Appointments at the British Museum and comments on Richard Penneck, Keeper of the Reading Room. Proceedings at the Royal Society; an account from [Sir Frederick William] Herschel of volcanoes burning on the moon.
[Charles Louis] L'Héritier [de Brutelle] is still in England, amusement at his behaviour. Cautions Smith against showing Linnaeus's herbarium to L'Héritier as he will try to find, and publish, faults and lower its value, "which ought not to be as it must be the real standard to prove the meaning of Old Linnaeus's works". Thinking of bringing forward publication of William Aiton's catalogue of "the garden" [Kew] to preempt possibility of L'Héritier not acknowledging them in his own work. Queen Charlotte's botany lessons with Aiton. The ship being sent to bring the breadfruit to the West Indies will bring many plants from there. Comments on the gardens at St Vincent's and Bengal and hopes for another to be established soon in Madras. Remarks that [Olof] Swartz is the best botanist he has seen since Solander and hopes to have him supply König's place in India [Johann Gerhard Koenig (1728-1785) German botanist].
Separate note requesting Smith to bring seed of 'Racine de disette'.
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