James Edward Smith, Edinburgh, to James Smith

Item data

Ref No GB-110/JES/COR/19/12
Title James Edward Smith, Edinburgh, to James Smith
Letter date 15 Apr 1782
Author(s) Sir James Edward Smith 1759-1828
Number of Pages 6

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GB-110/JES/COR/19/12 from James Edward Smith, Edinburgh, to James Smith (15 April 1782)

Metadata for GB-110/JES/COR/19/12 from James Edward Smith, Edinburgh, to James Smith (15 April 1782) Close

Item data

Item Type: Document
From: Smith, Sir James Edward
Sent from: Edinburgh
To: Smith, James
Summary:

Their letters generally take 5 days travelling. No longer anxious about his expenses following his father's words. Resolved to learn Pharmacy in Edinburgh in the summer and go to London in the winter of 1784, before graduating at Edinburgh. Hopes for better times with change of Ministry; Mrs Beveridge [his landlady] "furious" in her attachment to the old Ministry. Most backward spring in Edinburgh known to memory. Death of Mr Patterson, head of the Medical, Physical, and Speculative Societies.
He and 4 or 5 friends have lately formed a society for the study of natural history, for which Dr Walker, the new professor, offered his museum for them to meet in. Dr [John] Hope an honorary member and 7 other young men have since joined, and the Earls of Glasgow and Ancram, and Lord Dare, have all petitioned to join; particulars of the society. Dr Walker told him he has studied more natural history than anybody he before met with in Scotland. His acquaintance with Dr Hutton; his character; he is an excellent mineralogist. Does not intend to study mineralogy any more than absolutely necessary, contenting himself with strict line of his profession and the "first two kingdoms of nature by way of relaxation"; benefits his small knowledge of this has already brought him. His acquaintances, particularly intimate with [William] Thomson [(c 1760-1806), mineralogist and physician] and [Robert] Batty; their characters. Sorrow at departing of friends.

Letter date: 15 Apr 1782
Languages: English
Prev Ref No: 19.29
Additional Information:
Note typeNote
Related MaterialFor James Smith's letter of 28 March 1782, to which this is a reply, see JES/COR/19/11.
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.