From:
Ada Byron (King)
To:
Mary Somerville
Date:
28 Feb 18??
Source of text:
MSBY 3 / 69, Dep. c. 367, Bod, MS
Summary:
No summary available.
Contributor:
Brigitte Stenhouse
No summary available.
No summary available.
No summary available.
Pleased Smith is satisfied with new volume of "Linnean Transactions", though he thinks some of the papers might have been omitted without reducing its value; convinced that they must give up the idea of publishing every year; explains his and [Jonas] Dryander's decisions in listing books donated to the Library.
Asks when Smith will be in London and when "Flora Britannica" will appear. There were no new papers at last general meeting of the Linnean Society, so they were forced to read an entomological paper by [Samuel] Goodenough previously read before; they now have enough for the next two or three meetings. Persoon's fungi paper has been found.
Sends list of subscriptions [extant] to cost of a charter for Linnean Society; little doubt of their raising the required £300, though some Fellows, including [Erasmus] Darwin, Dr Thomas Young, Lord William Seymour, [Thomas] Rackett, and [George] Shaw have refused to contribute in various manners. Concerns that [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert has changed his opinion on the matter, though [Thomas] Marsham has listed him for £20 according to earlier understanding. Asks Smith to encourage his friends to contribute. Main reason for acquiring the charter is for it to act as a Deed of Trust for every Fellow, and thus authenticate the bonds for membership dues.
List of subscribers and amount pledged.
Sorry to hear of Smith's late illness. Still awaiting further funds for Linnean Society's charter application, which now stands at £276 11s; list of further subscribers. Forwarded parcel for Persoon.
Smith's paper read at Linnean Society meeting on 7 [October], where he also got additional subscribers to Linnean Society charter, bringing the total to £284 19s, and there is no doubt of the full sum being made. He and [Jonas] Dryander think it necessary for Smith to be in London about 15 November in order to consult about the Rules of the Society. Asks if Smith has any part of Persoon's "long lost paper on fungi". Time for another volume of "Linnean Transactions" to be published.
List of additional subscribers.
Requests two specimens of 'Papilio machaon', as he hears it is common about Norwich.
Relates "melancholy news" of a girl who has been the "victim of too much sensibility and inexperience" who became acquainted with "an imprudent young man, now shut up in the Tower". Has not yet looked into "Flora Britannica", believes it is generally a "dull period for botany". Regrets that "Flora Graeca" is not to proceed as intended in Bauer's essay. Delayed replying to a Linnean Society letter regarding obtaining a charter.
The Linnean Society; Broussonet; Delaunay.
Thanks for gift of books to Musée d'Histoire Naturelle. The letter is signed by [Antoine Laurent de] Jussieu, Lamarck [Jean-Baptiste de Monet], [Barthélemy] Faujas [de Saint-Fond], [René Louiche] Desfontaines, and [André] Thouin.
No summary available.
No summary available.
No summary available.
No summary available.
No summary available.
No summary available.
No summary available.
No summary available.
No summary available.
No summary available.