Sir Thomas Gage, Casa Dini Borgo Santa Croce, Florence, [Italy], to Sir James Edward Smith

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Ref No GB-110/JES/COR/5/1
Title Sir Thomas Gage, Casa Dini Borgo Santa Croce, Florence, [Italy], to Sir James Edward Smith
Letter date 11 Jun 1817
Author(s) Sir Thomas, 7th baronet Gage 1781-1820
Number of Pages 6

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GB-110/JES/COR/5/1 from Sir Thomas Gage, Casa Dini Borgo Santa Croce, Florence, [Italy], to Sir James Edward Smith (11 June 1817)

Metadata for GB-110/JES/COR/5/1 from Sir Thomas Gage, Casa Dini Borgo Santa Croce, Florence, [Italy], to Sir James Edward Smith (11 June 1817) Close

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Item Type: Document
From: Gage, Sir Thomas
Sent from: Florence, Italy
To: Smith, Sir James Edward
Summary:

Sending books from Mr Targioni. Has collected every kind of 'Cryptogam' in the area. Purchased a collection of Lichens from Schleicher of Bex, recommends him as a source for specimens, is much advanced in his drawings to illustrate [Erik] Acharius. Botany in Florence is respectable but not encouraged. The Grand Duke has a botanic garden but the best plants were removed to a botanic garden at Orto Frisco run by Targioni for agricultural experiments. Praises Targioni, has been able to examine the garden's lichens in Micheli's collection. Botanical lectures are given in the garden and at the Academy of the Georgople. Mr Radi, head of the Royal Museum, recently discovered a new moss, 'Fabronia pusilla', [Olof] Swartz has found a species of the same genus. Targioni plans to publish account of the 'Jungermanniae' of the country on a new system. Wishes to engage him on a "pocket "Flora Toscana" to encourage interest in botany, "the nobles are not rich enough to purchase science, nor wise enough to esteem it". [Gaetano] Savi in Pisa is working on a "Flora Etrusca".
When crossing Mount Cenis found 'Cetraria cuculata' as mentioned in Smith's "Tour". Comments on the great number of English in Florence in the winter, believes it not a good place for delicate constitutions at that time of year due to the dampness, an epidemic of typhus. Thanks Smith for his letters of introduction: at Geneva met Mr Piclet, Messrs Jurine and Morricand, at Turin Professor [Giovanni ?] Biroli [(1772-1825) Italian botanist], at Milan [Barnaba] Oriani, Mr Herman and Mr Breislach the mineralogist. Sent Smith's letter to Ippolito Durazzo, whose sister is in Florence married to the Sardinian minister Brignoli.

Letter date: 11 Jun 1817
Languages: English
Prev Ref No: 5.1
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.
Related MaterialSavi, G, (1808-1825). "Cajetani Savi... Botanicon Etruscum sistens plantas in Etruria sponte crescentes." Pisanum: [printer:] Raynerus Prosperus, 4 vols. Smith, J E, (1793). "A sketch of a tour on the Continent in the years 1786 and 1787." London.
AdditionalSmith replied 22 Dec [1817]