| Ref No | GB-110/JES/COR/11/53 |
| Title | James Edward Smith, Lowestoft, [Suffolk], to Samuel Goodenough |
| Description | His periodical publications delayed by his long stay in London. Gives an account of his correspondence with and about [Richard] Salisbury: received copy of Salisbury's pamphlet ["The generic characters in the English Botany"] and letter signifying that if Smith made concessions he would not publish it. Contrary to Salisbury's claims Salisbury's sisters deny any knowledge of the business. Salisbury has told [Archibald] Menzies he would "give £500" to have never written it but has continued to attack Smith in "Paradisus Londinensis". Is particularly hurt by Sir Joseph Banks' obliviousness to the personal nature of the attacks but has long "been aware of the queerness of this great man" and is now glad he took Goodenough's advice and named himself only the editor "Flora Graeca", as Banks wanted. As part of an experiment on Banks' humour requested a drawing for use in "Exotic Botany", which was grudgingly granted. Believes his work on 'Globba marantina' and other 'Scitamineae' in "Exotic Botany", in part assisted by [William] Roscoe's paper to Linnean Society, is excellent. [Francis] Buchanan has given him his whole collection of Nepal and Mysore plants, all his manuscript descriptions, and nearly 200 drawings for publication in "Exotic Botany".
Literary plans for winter: intends to finish "Flora Britannica", write a popular introduction to botany, to finish and publish Linnaeus' "Lapland tour", besides going on with "Flora Graeca" and his two periodical works ["Exotic Botany" and "English Botany"]. The first fasciculi of "Flora Graeca" has just printed but with possible errors to correct. Struggled with the 'Umbellatae', 'Silene', and 'Dianthus' in "Prodromus Florae Graecae". The sore on his leg has completely healed but left a "tremendous scar". Finances of the Linnean Society extremely healthy. The alarming state of the nation; "we have only the choice of evils, and perhaps not even that". The new Bishop of Norwich [Henry Bathurst (1744-1837)] a "very amiable, benignant character". |
| Date | 2 Sep 1806 |
| Level | Item |
| Extent | 4 pp |
| Language | English |
| Related Material | Salisbury, R A, (1806). "The generic characters in the English Botany, collated with those of Linne." London: printer Bulmer & Co.
Salisbury, R A, and Hooker, W, (1805-1808). "The paradisus Londinensis: or coloured figures of plants cultivated in the vicinity of the metropolis. [The figures] by William Hooker." London: [privately.].
Sibthorp, J, (1806-1837). "Flora Graeca", London: Taylor.
Smith, J E, (1804-1805). "Exotic botany" London: J. Sowerby.
Roscoe, W. 'A new arrangement of the plants of the Monandrian Class usually called Scitamineae (Imperfect)'. Read 1806.
Roscoe, W, (1828). "Monandrian plants of the order Scitamineae, chiefly drawn from living specimens in the Botanic Garden At Liverpool ... With descriptions and observations." Liverpool: [printer:] G. Smith.
Smith, J E, (1800-1804). "Flora Britannica" London: Davis.
Smith, J E, (1807). "An Introduction to Physiological and Systematical Botany." London: Longman.
Linnaeus, C, Smith, J E, and Troilius, C (tr.), (1811). "Lachesis Lapponica, or a Tour in Lapland", London: White & Cochrane.
Sibthorp, J, and Smith, J E, (1806-1813). "Florae Graecae prodromus: sive plantarum omnium enumeratio, quas in provinciis aut insulis Graeciae invenit Johannes Sibthorp... Characteres et synonyma omnium cum annotationibus elaboravit Jacobus Edvardus Smith." Londinum: [printer:] Taylor. |
| Publn_Note | Smith, P (ed.), (1832). "Memoir and correspondence of... Sir James Edward Smith" London: Longman, vol 1, pp.554-546. |
| PrevRefNo | 11.105 |
| Finding_Aids | Dawson, 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. |