Concern for health of Smith and Smith's father's. [François] Borone's "melancholy and premature" death. Thanks Smith, Sir Joseph Banks, [Thomas] Marsham and Mr Forster for resupplying him following the French attack on Free Town.
Concern for health of Smith and Smith's father's. [François] Borone's "melancholy and premature" death. Thanks Smith, Sir Joseph Banks, [Thomas] Marsham and Mr Forster for resupplying him following the French attack on Free Town.
Encloses generic description of 'Afzelia' [extant]. Studied the 'Brownea' and found they consitute a whole family; Linnaeus took the genus up from Jacquin, Jacquin's first plant different species from Loesling's, among his African plants there are 3 genera belonging to 'Brownea' family, [William] Roxburgh's 'Jonesia' and Aublet's 'Eperica' also belong to it; queries for Smith to follow up.
[Note in Smith's hand detailing his reply] will soon publish essential characters of 'Afzelia' with some other genera in a pamphlet.
Description of 'Afzelia' [in Latin, 4 pp]
Thanks Smith for hospitality during visit to Norwich in November. Sends list of queries on genus 'Brownea', for Smith to answer and return.
Thanks for the packet. Remarks on Devon and recent events.
Family news.
Called last Tuesday. Unable to see him as he was away.
Short letter in code.
Just going on board to bring back Lady Ryan (wife of Sir Edward?) and will then call to see him. The furniture will be landed immediately. Proposes to sail Saturday morning.
Gives an example of lunar observations. Considers this a more accurate measurement than that obtained by the chronometer.
Sends regards to Herschel family.
Has written privately to the Chancellor of the Exchequer enclosing JH's letter. Thinks this preferable to asking the question publicly. Will be spending Whitsun at Bedgebury.
Sent [John] Davies at Cambridge a bank post bill for £45 of the money collected for [Richard] Relhan's herbarium. Printer of "Linnean Transctions" has no copy to proceed with unless Smith sends his paper on 'Mentha' or Persoon's; current volume about 160 pages; desireable but not necessary for future volumes to be of a similar size.
Asks whether Smith would not prefer to have his note on 'Mentha' printed in "Linnean Transactions" as a separate paper, or with the extracts from the minutes; asks Smith's opinion of his proposed list of books donated to the Library. Subscription for [Richard] Relhan's herbarium is now at £91 10s, including the 3 guineas mentioned in enclosed letter by [John] Symmons [extant]; asks Smith's opinion of the letter; he himself is against applying again to those who have already subscribed.
[Copy of letter from John Symmons to Alexander Macleay, dated Paddington-house, Lonndon, 5 December 1799] After being informed by Revd [John] Davies that the subscription for Relhan's herbarium was lacking £14 of the required £100 he applied to Lord Valentia [George] Annesley and Mr Alderman Hibbert, who have both added an extra guniea each, as he has himself.
About etymology.
Requests JH's autograph and 'carte de visite' for a collection.
No summary available.
Invites Smith and his wife to visit in October. Envies Smith his tour, asks if Downton [Castle, Herefordshire, home of Richard Payne Knight (1751-1824) art collector] was on the route. Sends a plant for determination which she raised from seed in a hothouse [Smith has noted on second folio "The plant is 'Antidesma alexiteria', but with 2 stamina? If we hear nothing will wait on them Oct 19"]. Disapproves of the Smiths' move to Norwich, Norfolk.
Plant queries for second edition of "Florae Scandinaviae prodromus", including: 'Carex uliginosa' identified as 'Schoenus compressus' or 'Scirpus caricis'. Offers to send specimen of [Jakob] Ehrhart's grass figured in Smith's "Icones pictae". Disappointed by natural history content of [James] Bruce's [of Kinnaird (1730-1794), traveller in Africa] "Travels"; errors with discussion of cereals. Requests copy of "Linnean Transactions" vol 1.
No summary available.
Thanks Smith for the introduction to botany. Trying to collect all of Smith's works. Asks whether there will be new editions of the Principal Works of Linnaeus, especially the "Systema Vegetabilium". Comments on the uncertain publication of [William] Curtis' lectures, which would have been useful for students, and the deficiencies of [James] Lee's "Introduction to Botany" [(1715-1795) nurseryman]. Seeks London edition of Smith's translation of Linnaeus's dissertation on the sexes of plants. Complains that Smith's "last number" [probably "English Botany"] should have been described how 'Ligusticum' differs from the many plants to which it bears a general resemblance.