James Edward Smith, London, to Edmund Davall, Orbe, Canton de Berne, [Switzerland]

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Ref No GB-110/JES/COR/14/44
Title James Edward Smith, London, to Edmund Davall, Orbe, Canton de Berne, [Switzerland]
Letter date 30 Dec 1791
Author(s) Sir James Edward Smith 1759-1828
Number of Pages 4

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GB-110/JES/COR/14/44 from James Edward Smith, London, to Edmund Davall, Orbe, Canton de Berne, [Switzerland] (30 December 1791)

Metadata for GB-110/JES/COR/14/44 from James Edward Smith, London, to Edmund Davall, Orbe, Canton de Berne, [Switzerland] (30 December 1791) Close

Item data

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

Note in Davall's hand that this letter was received 13 January 1792.
Acknowledges receipt of Davall's letters of 6 November, with seeds, and 2 December, and parcel of plants via Mr Mandrot. Observations on plants, ordered by Greek letters: 'Trifolium rubens' HL, 'Trifolium pratense' HL, 'Trifolium alpestre' HL, 'Trifolium filforme' HL, 'Astragalus cicer' Linnaeus, 'Serapias palustris' HL, 'Potentilla norvegica' HL, 'Gnaphalium sylvaticum', 'Filago germanica' HL, 'Crepis dioscorides' HL, 'Festuca', 'Cuscuta europaea', 'Veronica hybrida' HL, 'Centaurea paniculata' HL, 'Campanula rhomboidalis', 'Thalictrum lucidum', 'Geranium sanguineum', 'Geranium rotundifolium', 'Lotus maritimus' HL, 'Sisymbrium murale' HL, 'Cheiranthus alpinus' Jacquin, 'Sium latifolium' HL, 'Lychius quadridentata' HL, '[Lychius] alpestris' HL, 'Silene alpestris' "Hortus Kewensis" and Jacquin.
Observations on plants, ordered by Roman letters: '[Arenaria] ciliata', 'Anemone sulphurea', '[Thlaspi] alpestre' HL, 'Erysimum cheiranthoides' HL, 'Lathyrus cicera' HL, 'Lathyrus palustris' HL, 'Orchis palustris' Jacquin, 'Acrostichum ilvense' Hudson, 'Acer opalus', 'Lavatera punctata', and 'Carduus crispus' HL.
Responds to Davall's letter of 6 November: pleased by his approval of first volume of "Linnean Transactions" but thinks his scheme for Linnean Society figuring plants not feasible; has not heard from [Werner de] Lachenal [(1736-1800)] or [Dominique] Villars, and Villars may have heard of his 'Arenaria' from Professor Wiborg at Copenhagen; thanks for seeds, gave most to Fairbairn and some to [William] Aiton [(1731-1793)]; [William] Curtis angry with Smith for helping [James] Sowerby with "English Botany" as he thinks it infringes on his domain, he owes Sowerby £50 and is a "man of very unsound principle, & a bad temper at bottom"; [Edward] Forster sorry Davall is not impressed with the specimens he sent, which he thought very valuable; does not know Davall's lichen 46, and 48 is found in England on Charlton Church and used to be called 'Lichen cretaceus'; will send on "English Botany" and box of lichens.
Responds to Davall's letter of 2 December: distressed by Davall's ill health, essential for him to exercise, asks if fruit is laxative or not for him and whether red port makes him costive; thanks Davall for enabling exchange of lichens with with [Horace Bénédict] de Saussure [(1740-1799)]; will write to [Carlo] Bellardi; wishes to settle about 'Davallia' as what he intended is a 'Trianthema', asks if he would prefer 'Trichomanes canariense' or an Indian genus from his uncoloured icones.
His brother Richard spending the winter in a lodging by himself, "doing nothing, & burying good taste & abilities in mere sloth". Lady Rockingham in good health. Many seeds from Botany Bay lately.

Letter date: 30 Dec 1791
Languages: English
Prev Ref No: 14.109
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 MaterialFor Davall's letters of 6 November 1791 and 2 December 1791, to which this is a reply, see JES/COR/14/42 and JES/COR/14/43 respectively. For Davall's replies of 31 January 1792 and 3 February 1792, see JES/COR/14/45 and JES/COR/14/46, respectively. For Smith's previous comments on Davall's lichens see letter of 6 July 1791, JES/COR/14/37. Smith, J E, and Sowerby, J, (1790-1814). "English Botany" London.
AdditionalDavall replied 31 Jan 1792 & 3 Feb 1792