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

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Ref No GB-110/JES/COR/14/62
Title James Edward Smith, London, to Edmund Davall, Orbe, Canton de Berne, [Switzerland]
Letter date 24 Sep 1793
Author(s) Sir James Edward Smith 1759-1828
Number of Pages 9

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GB-110/JES/COR/14/62 from James Edward Smith, London, to Edmund Davall, Orbe, Canton de Berne, [Switzerland] (24 September 1793)

Metadata for GB-110/JES/COR/14/62 from James Edward Smith, London, to Edmund Davall, Orbe, Canton de Berne, [Switzerland] (24 September 1793) Close

Item data

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

Thanks for Davall's letter of 16 August, packets of plant and seeds and bottle of 'Orchis abortiva' flowers. The '-oides' names given to the Australian plants are only temporary; working on a "Natural History of New Holland" with Dr [George] Shaw, unhappy with plan for each number to have two plates each of plants and animals but settled by Wilson who gave him the plants.
His youngest brother has died though as he had "fallen into total indolence" it is no loss; transcribes epitaph written for his grave and comments on his early promise including almost winning Royal Academy gold medal for design of a church. Hopes to publish "Sketch of a Tour on the Continent" in December and urgently requests Davall to confirm his anecdote about Berne holding a fireworks display costing twice the amount Haller's collections were for in same year. Urges Davall not to fret over jealousy of the Swiss, "the envy of fools is one of the rewards of merit".
Thanks for Davall's observations on 'Lichen omphalodes', which will be tab 150 in "English Botany", 145 to be 'Pinguicula lusitanica', and 146 'Pyrola uniflora' from Scotland. [Adam] Afzelius and François safely returned from Sierra Leone with many fine things though climate too damp and insectiferous for specimens, the fruits and capsules most wonderful. Asks Davall to explain his and François [Borone's] scheme involving English garden specimens. [Thomas] Woodward happy to exchange specimens with Davall, as he uses Haller's books hopes Davall will convert him to Swiss botany. Is the Geneva 'Melampryum cristatum' different to the English. Would prefer Davall to send an original paper not based on DuCros.
Four pages of numbered botanical observations by Smith on Davall's parcel of plants received June 1793: 'Epilobium palustre' HL, 'Bromus arvensis' HL, 'Avena sativa' HL, 'Avena strigosa' Schreber, 'Avena fatua' HL, 'Avena fertilis' Allioni, '[Triticum] tenellum' HL, 'Minuartia campestris' HL, 'Cerinthe minor' HL, 'Ribes grossularia' HL, 'Chaerophyllum bulbosum' HL, 'Silene bellidifolia', 'Arenaria tetrequetra' HL, 'Myagrum rugosum', '[Thlaspi] perfoliatum' HL, 'Alyssum utriculatum' HL, 'Arabis pumila' Jacq, two species of 'Turritis' like 'Turritis hirsuta', 'Myagrum hispanicum', 'Geranium palustre' HL, '[Chrysanthemum] indicum', 'Chara flexilis', '[Carex] limosa' HL, 'Salix incubacea', '[Salix] purpurea', 'Salix repens' HL, 'Salix fusca' Flo Lapp, 'Valantia aparine' HL, 'Galium spurium' HL, '[Polypodium] alpinum a 'Cyathea', 'Phascum piliferum', 'Hieracium', 'Hieracium cymosum', 'Crepis leontodontoides'. One page of numbered remarks on lichens from Davall by Smith: 'Lichen albo-flavescens' Wulf., 'L. ulmi' Swartz, 'L. marmorens', 'L. exanthematicus', 'L. tumidulus', 'L. miniatus', 'L. fulgens' Swartz, 'L. saxifragus', 'L. spaeria' possibly 'L. reciptus' [HL probably Herbarium Linnaeus].
Letter date: 24 Sep 1793
Languages: English
Prev Ref No: 14.158
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 letter of 16 August 1793, to which this is a reply, see JES/COR/14/61. For Davall's letter 11 May 1793 sending parcel of plants see JES/COR/14/58. For further comments by Davall on plants received June 1793 see his letter of 12 May 1794, JES/COR/14/69. For Davall's reply of 13 October 1793, see JES/COR/14/64. Smith, J E, and Sowerby, J, (1793). "A specimen of the botany of New Holland Vol. I The figures by James Sowerby [imperfect]." London: J. Sowerby. Smith, J E, (1793). "A sketch of a tour on the Continent in the years 1786 and 1787" London. Smith, J E, and Sowerby, J, (1790-1814). "English Botany" London.
Publn NoteSmith, P (ed.), (1832). "Memoir and correspondence of... Sir James Edward Smith" London: Longman, vol 2, pp.60-61.
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