From:
unknown
To:
Board of Longitude
Date:
27 February 1804
Source of text:
MM/8/53, Royal Society
Summary:
No summary available.
Contributor:
Royal Society
No summary available.
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Thanks for turkey. Agrees that Cuvier is highly deserving of becoming a FMLS but reminds him there is a limit of 50 FMLS. Queries Latin form of "habitat in Newfoundland" and "habitat in Long Island" for [Edward] Rudge's paper on American 'Carex' for "Linnean Transactions".
Except for Smith's communication and "a very absurd" paper on migration of birds by [John] Lyon there have been new new papers at last two meetings of Linnean Society, and they have nothing for the next meeting. Council meeting on Tuesday to discuss purchase of a house in Nassau Street. Knows nothing yet of Dr [William] Turton's [(1762-1835), conchologist] certificate but when it appears will speak out. Believes that any member who canvasses for blackballing a candidate after signing their certificate should be expelled from the Society; according to present regulations it now takes a third of members present to blackball a candidate.
Sends specimen of 'Humea' and an elm-leaved 'Grewia' for determination. Has a 'Nymphea' very similar to 'Carnia' but the flower is milk-white and nocturnal. Fears of invasion by the French, living in "anxious dread of the great little man's visit". Comments that the "great victory" achieved by the English merchant "China ships" fighting off [Charles-Alexandre Léon Durand] Linois' [French admiral] attack, without a convoy, was a "glory".
Disappointed to not go to Norwich but was too busy during his visit to Cambridge to get away. Met [Edward Daniel] Clarke who travelled with [John Marten] Cripps [(1780-1853), traveller and antiquary] to the Crimea, met [Peter Simon] Pallas and purchased his herbarium and brought back a vast natural history collection, describes it in some detail including bust of Ceres. Has heard that the drawing of Mars and Venus omitted in the prints of the "Elogium Stultitiae" is now engraved in Veaux's French translation of "Elogium" printed at Basel in 1780 [French translation of Erasmus' "The Praise of Folly"]. The [Dublin] Botanic Garden now has 6000 plants.
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Sending American plants by Lady Holland; return of botanical expedition from colonies.
Thanks for turkey. Surprised that [John] White has not yet sent Smith his "Description of the genus Pinus", [William George] Maton has complained of the same, but those now being printed are on much better paper. Paid £130 for Surinam collection with [Edward] Rudge, it contains 3000 plants. Believes it contains all of [Jean Baptiste Christophore Fusée] Aublet's [(1720-1778) French botanist] plants and hundreds not described by him. Specimens inlcude 'Portlandia hexandra', 'Gustavia augusta', 'Gustavia fastuosa', 'Styrax bengain', 'Dipterix odorata', and 'Siphoria elatica'.
Smith about to receive copy of "A description of the genus Pinus" which is far superior to the earlier copies. Occupied with the Cayenne plants [Lambert purchased collections gathered in South America by Jospeh Martin and captured by English privateers], "never was such a collection ever before imported". Contains about 1700 species with no old plants except for those of [Jean Baptiste Christophore Fusée] Aublet [(1720-1778) French botanist]. Five new species of 'Roupala' and five or six of 'Myristica'. Reminds Smith he is still looking for scarcer species of willow.
Marquess of Blandford's [George Spencer-Churchill] collections will be "more worth seeing that any private collection in this country", discusses Blandford's enthusiasm for botany. Blandford has sixteen men working in his botanic garden. Mentions Blandford having written the "History of the 'Nymphae lotus'" in last number of [Henry Charles] Andrews' "Botanists' Repository", figured from his aquarium where it flowered for first time in England. 'Dammera' arrived at Kew with "the China treasures". Received 500 species of dried plants from Cape [of Good Hope] including sixty-one 'Protea', and capsules of 'Ochroma lagopus' from island of Nevis, from which he has raised thirteen plants, [William Townsend] Aiton is anxious to have it at Kew. "Little John from Van Diemen Land [Tasmania]" has a cargo for him. Asks after "the British Garden" and "Flora Graeca".
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