Sir James Edward Smith, 13 Chapel Place, [London], to Pleasance Smith, Mrs E Clarke's, Saxmundham, [Suffolk]

Summary

His travel arrangements for Bristol. Account of remainder of his time in London, including visits to Paddington to see [Thomas William] Coke and family; a ball at Mrs Bennett's, sister of [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert, where he met Sir Stamford Raffles [(1781-1826), founder of Singapore], they are now "sworn friends"; attended the King's [George IV (1762-1830)] drawing room; visited Lady Hervey and Miss Caton, Mrs Patterson unwell. Dr [Martin] Davy extravagantly applauded "English Flora".

A meeting with [Thomas] Platt [(d 1842), one of John Sibthorp's executors, supervised the publication of "Flora Graeca"], who is annoyed at the British Museum having claimed a copy of "Flora Graeca" and sued the bookseller according to the act which requires copies to be deposited with public bodies. All say he looks "remarkably well", though thinner; his night perspiration has returned. Lambert insists that they stay at Boyton, [Wiltshire], on return from Bristol as he can get them a sight of Fonthill [Abbey, Wiltshire, built by William Beckford (1760-1844), novelist]. Lady de Clifford [Sophia Southwell] said to be "breaking fast".

Letter details

Record number

LINNEAN1582

From

Sir James Edward Smith

To

Pleasance Smith

Date

11 Jun 1825

Sent from

London

Sent to

Saxmundham, Suffolk

Source of text

GB-110/JES/COR/19/132, 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.