Sir Thomas Frankland, Thirkleby, York, to James Edward Smith, Norwich, [Norfolk]

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Ref No GB-110/JES/COR/15/39
Title Sir Thomas Frankland, Thirkleby, York, to James Edward Smith, Norwich, [Norfolk]
Letter date 11 Mar 1810
Author(s) Sir Thomas, 6th baronet Frankland 1750-1831
Number of Pages 8

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GB-110/JES/COR/15/39 from Sir Thomas Frankland, Thirkleby, York, to James Edward Smith, Norwich, [Norfolk] (11 March 1810)

Metadata for GB-110/JES/COR/15/39 from Sir Thomas Frankland, Thirkleby, York, to James Edward Smith, Norwich, [Norfolk] (11 March 1810) Close

Item data

Item Type: Document
From: Frankland, Sir Thomas
Sent from: Thirkleby, Yorkshire
To: Smith, Sir James Edward
Sent to location: Norwich, Norfolk
Summary:

Confined with rheumatism since Christmas. Account of his tour of Scotland with his son last July: went at invitation of Duke of Gordon, it was his first time north of the Tweed river and they travelled 900 miles visiting Edinburgh, Sterling, Crieff, Perth, Brechin, Alexander Brodie's at the Burn purchased of Lord Adam Gordon, Aberdeen, Inverurie and Huntly to Gordon Castle, James Brodie's "bad old house", Inverness, the Highland Road, on which without servant and carriage they would have been "lost in difficulties", and Glasgow, before returning home via Carlisle, Keswick, Ambleside, and Lord Lonsdale's [William Lowther, 1st Earl Lonsdale (1757-1844)] new home at Lowther, "a gothic palace, & tho' only begun 2 years since is already inhabited by all the family", by architect [Robert] Smirke [(1780-1867)]. Intention of tour was "to gain new ideas of country & inhabitants, and refused all opportunity of sporting" and did not search for plants as his son is not a botanist. Brodie has botanic garden for British plants and went salmon fishing with him: where they are most plentiful is the worst for angling as "they are harrassed with nets night & day, & have no time to feed". The Duke [of Gordon's] fishery, on river Spey, is let for 6000 guineas per annum and is said make a fortune with 2000 fish taken in one day, saw the icehouses which are entirely above ground so the melted ice sinks into sand. Largest fish ever caught was at Aberdeen May 1762, weighing 63lb Dutch weight.
Smith's 'Glaucium fubrum' thriving with him. Amused to find that [Dawson] Turner's figure of '[Fucus] siliquosus' was copied from his own. [Thomas] Marsham has recovered his credit and sent Colonel Tindall of Scarborough, [Yorkshire], the microscopic objects he promised. Recently took a drop of mercury for an ailment, hopes to never have to again. Details of a new heating system installed for his workshops, which are extremely cold in winter. Treated lumbago and pain in his legs with calomel and opium, having received no benefit from his own nostrum and James's pills. When Smith goes to London requests him to bring the plants he asked Smith to name two years ago.
Collected 'Satyrium repens' and 'Pyrola secunda' in woods at Gordon Castle and Brodie gave him 'Eriocaulon'.

Letter date: 11 Mar 1810
Languages: English
Prev Ref No: 15.65
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.167-169.
Related MaterialTurner, D, (1808-1819). "Fuci sive plantarum fucorum generi a botanicis ascriptarum icones descriptiones et historia. - Fuci; or, colored figures and descriptions of the plants referred by botanists to the genus Fucus." London: Arch.