James Edward Smith, London, to Pleasance Smith, Lowestoft, [Suffolk]

Summary

Account of the dinner at Somerset House [home of the Royal Academy] at which the Prince Regent [George IV (1762-1830)] was present and made a speech in which he pledged himself to support the arts, and in which he praised the exhibition and artists, including [Benjamin] West [(1738-1820), painter and president of the Royal Academy 1806-1820]; West's speech kept them in "agony".

His first two lectures "more splendidly & fully attended" than any he ever had; they are held on Mondays and Tuesdays. London meetings. Consulted by Mrs J Lane about an abridgement of Gibbon she has in hand. Wearing mourning for T Smith; surprise at suddenness of Leyson Cooper's death. [William] Roscoe may be coming to the Installation and to Holkham, [Norfolk]. Bishop of Durham [Shute Barrington] to become Honorary Member of the Linnean Society.

Letter details

Record number

LINNEAN1667

From

Sir James Edward Smith

To

Pleasance Smith

Date

29 Apr 1811

Sent from

London

Sent to

Lowestoft, Suffolk

Source of text

GB-110/JES/COR/19/87, 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.

• Pleasance Smith
• Sir James Edward Smith