James Edward Smith, Norwich, [Norfolk], to James De Carle Sowerby, 2 Mead Place, Lambeth, London

Summary

Returns plates [for "Flora Graeca"] with his approval; unfortunate accident with drawing of 'Reseda alba', though it is only the first accident of the kind. Sowerby's name engraver is a "precious blockhead", wishes him to copy only what he writes. Instructions on use of capital letters.

Uncertain what sort of zoologists Sowerby is working with, "but most of them now are doing all they can to corrupt the science, splitting & subdividing without science or learning"; laments the mischief caused at the British Museum by [William Elford] Leach, "his labours [...] are only a monument of his insanity". Discusses 'Patella craniolaris' of Linnaeus. His late complaint of cholera "quite gone". Sends 10 drawings, 476-485.

Letter details

Record number

LINNEAN3484

From

Sir James Edward Smith

To

James De Carle Sowerby

Date

10 Oct 1824

Sent from

Norwich, Norfolk

Sent to

London

Source of text

GB-110/JES/JS/20, 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.

• James De Carle Sowerby
• Sir James Edward Smith