Edmund Davall, Orbe, [Switzerland], to James Edward Smith, 12 Great Marlborough Street, London

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Ref No GB-110/JES/COR/14/10
Title Edmund Davall, Orbe, [Switzerland], to James Edward Smith, 12 Great Marlborough Street, London
Letter date 27 Oct 1789
Author(s) Edmund Davall 1763-1798
Number of Pages 4

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GB-110/JES/COR/14/10 from Edmund Davall, Orbe, [Switzerland], to James Edward Smith, 12 Great Marlborough Street, London (27 October 1789)

Metadata for GB-110/JES/COR/14/10 from Edmund Davall, Orbe, [Switzerland], to James Edward Smith, 12 Great Marlborough Street, London (27 October 1789) Close

Item data

Item Type: Document
From: Davall, Edmund
Sent from: Orbe, Switzerland
To: Smith, Sir James Edward
Sent to location: London
Summary:

FMLS diplomas sent by Smith arrived safely. His affection for Smith. Has a parcel of plants for [Samuel] Goodenough. Had a cabinet made up to same specifications as Smith's. Has drawing of 'Micropus erectus' but no conveyance for sending; easier to send from Jamaica than Switzerland. The engraving he had made of 'Crepis' no longer correct having read [Werner de] Lachenal's [(1736-1800), professor of botany at Basel] "Observationes botanica medicae" (1776) and realised a mistake made by [Albrecht von] Haller; consulted Lachenal's plants in person in Basel. Possible specimen of 'Lichen cucullatus' to send Smith, as well as 'Aretia alpina', 'Achilla moschata', 'Laserpitium simplex', and the 'Gentiana' 652 Hall[er's] "Hist[oria stirpum]", suggests the name 'Gentiana pedunculata', the same as "Flora Danica" tab 318 [extant]. Now has more specimens of 'Turritis carulea'. Only satisfied with Smith's botanical figures after seeing his "Plantarum Icones"; remarks on 'Stellaria dichotoma'. Haller's no.890 without doubt 'Stellaria cerastoides'.
On left-hand margin of recto of first folio Davall has written that he thinks [James] Sowerby's figure for 'Spartium decumbens' "excellent", though there are errors with the vexillum.
Specimen, labelled 'Swertia carinthiaca'.

Letter date: 27 Oct 1789
Languages: English
Prev Ref No: 14.18
Additional Information:
Note typeNote
Finding AidsDawson, W R, (1934). "Catalogue of the manuscripts in the Library of The Linnean Society - Part I. The Smith papers: The correspondence and miscellaneous papers of Sir James Edward Smith", London: Linnean Society.
Publn NoteSmith, P (ed.), (1832). "Memoir and correspondence of... Sir James Edward Smith" London: Longman, vol 2, pp.17-19.
Related MaterialFor Smith's letter of 2 July 1789, to which this is a reply, see JES/COR/14/8. For a continuation of this reply of 24 November 1789, see JES/COR/14/12. Haller, A v, (1768). "Historia stirpium indigenarum helvetiae inchoata. Tomus primus (-tertia) ..." Berniae: Sumptibus Societatis Typographicae. Oeder, G C, (1761). "Programma de Opere Flora Danica dicto, jussu regio edendo, adjecta speciminis loco icone plantae. Rubus Chamaemorus." Copenhagen: C. & A. Philibert. Smith, J E, and Linnaeus, C, (1789-1791). "Plantarum icones hactenus ineditae, plerumque ad plantas in herbario Linnaeo conservatas delineatae." Londini: Impensis Benj. White et Filii.