Aylmer Bourke Lambert, Boyton House, [Wiltshire], to James Edward Smith, Messrs Martin's & Thornley's, Liverpool, [Lancashire]

Summary

Has been excavating tumuli near Stonehenge with Sir Richard Hoare, research for Hoare's "History of Ancient Wiltshire". His "Girald Cambren" ["Giraldus de Barri"] to be published next winter. Hoare's is "the largest private library" he ever saw, including an unnamed book with an excellent figure of papyrus growing in Sicily. Unsurprised by Smith's comments on [Richard] Salisbury, has "long thought him to belong to the tribe of Ishmael". Pleased with [William George] Maton's work but disappointed he does not mention the Linnaean collections or present state of botany ["A general view of the writings of Linnaeus"]. Will send Smith a list of his herbarium. Wants [William Fitt] Drake to see if there are many duplicate specimens of 'Fosteria' in Forster's herbarium. Arrival of [William] Roxburgh who has brought seed collections. Received live plants and seeds from Dr [Thomas] Dancer [(c 1750-1811) island botanist of Jamaica] including 'Cinchona caribaea', believes this to be first raised in England. States that his 'Ochroma' are now one of "the most magnificent botanical sites in the kingdom". Disappointed Smith is not visiting this summer.

Letter details

Record number

LINNEAN2976

From

Aylmer Bourke Lambert

To

Sir James Edward Smith

Date

1 Aug 1805

Sent from

Boyton, Wiltshire

Sent to

Liverpool, Lancashire

Source of text

GB-110/JES/COR/6/44, 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.

• Aylmer Bourke Lambert
• Sir James Edward Smith