James Edward Smith, Norwich, [Norfolk], to William Roscoe

Summary

Sends Roscoe a budget about the "plantae scitamineae" and Lord Valentia's [George Annesley] "Indexes to Willdenow" as completed. Describes his his return journey from Liverpool to Norwich via Huntingdon, Cambridge, including the botanic garden, and Ely, including the cathedral.

Transcribes an attack made by [Richard] Salisbury on himself in fifth number of his "Paradisus Londinensis"; defends himself and transcribes the passage from "Exotic botany" which apparently provoked Salisbury, and details involvement of [Edward] Rudge and [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert. Salisbury also "sneered" at [Étienne Pierre] Ventenat's "Jardin de la Malmaison", confirming his suspicions of Salisbury's deceit, though if nothing else occurs still intends to reappoint him vice-president of the Linnean Society next year as he has "always been attentive & useful".

Sends Roscoe his paper on Norwich botanists, and two pods of vanilla from his journey to Italy. Convinced Raphael's picture of the Holy Family at Okeover [Hall, Staffordshire] is an original; description. "Exotic botany" reviewed much more favourably than Roscoe's "Leo" in Baldwin's "Literary Journal". Colonel [Thomas] Hardwicke to visit. The "Monthly Review" speaks "very differently" of his biographical paper, from Salisbury's account in "Annals [of Botany]". Reminds Roscoe of his "purposed assistance" with "Exotic Botany".

Letter details

Record number

LINNEAN1329

From

Sir James Edward Smith

To

William Roscoe

Date

12 Oct 1805

Sent from

Norwich, Norfolk

Source of text

GB-110/JES/COR/17/24, The Linnean Society of London

Language

English

Contributor

The Linnean Society of London[View Ɛpsilon collection]

Also published in The Correspondence of Sir James Edward Smith, The Linnean Society's Archive Catalogue.

• Sir James Edward Smith
• William Roscoe