Letter to Dr. John Fothergill from Lionel Chalmers, January 7, 1777

Letter to Dr. John Fothergill from Lionel Chalmers, January 7, 1777

1777-01-07

Three letters written to Dr. Lionel Chalmers in the 1770s. Two came from Dr. John Fothergill in London, England, and Dr. Alexander Garden wrote the third letter in this collection. They discussed botany and medicine.

2023-05-03

600 dpi, 16-bit depth, color, Epson Expression 10000XL, Archival masters are tiffs.

Chalmers, Lionel

Cox, Danielle

Fenn

Debbie (transcriber)

Copyright has not been assigned to the Charleston Library Society. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Special Collections Librarian. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Charleston Library Society as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.

image/jpeg

StillImage

Ms. 24, Lionel Chalmers, correspondence

English

Ms24_Let2

London 7th Jan 1774.

Dear Dr.

I hope before this comes to hand some of my letters will be received. I had delayed writing longer than I could have wished not from design, but perfect inability.

The contents of this box are for Wm. Bartram. - It is chiefly papers for putting his specimens in and a couple of little boxes to carry with him, in collecting plants etc. - Be kind enough to send him a little of the paper now and then as opportunitys may offer. The M.S. [Manuscript] is not yet gone to the press, and it must be delayed a few months longer. Some late decisions in law, have made the Booksellers extremely reserved in respect to purchasing copys. The affair will be brought early into Parliament and if literary property is secured, they will then be ready to treat for copys. It will make a quarto of moderate size and I shall do my endeavors to get at least

P.S. Please to place to my account all expenses of carriage etc., as well as the Freight of this Box, and anything I may send to W. Bartram.

J.F.

Dr. Fothergill, 1775

To Dr. Chalmers
50. for the copy, and a few sets for the Author & his Friends. I shall perhaps shorten it a little, by erasing here and there mere speculation. There is a passage likewise respecting the organism to which the sex are liable, which will either be reserved in later or omitted. - I shall not neglect the work, the moment the booksellers are disposed to treat on the subject.

I hope to get the time protracted for a persons use on Black lead. Send just enough to ensure this and then be sparing, till the demand increases. I mentioned that it might be converted to great use as a paint in your hot country, as well as in ours. If it finds its way to such a general use, its value will always be considerable. - I have saved the greatest part of the
plants I received last summer. They shot out from the roots, and will in another summer, be considerable plants. It is a fine addition to our Greenhouses. I have one plant in the natural ground, under a glass case - we have now a sharp frost

if it stands this I hope it will under the like cover, endure many more & prosper in summer.

I shall be glad to receive some acc1. of our fellow adventurers, and their success as soon as convenient. - Draw upon us for my deposit, as well as on W. Bartrams account as occasion requires. Do not let me run too deep into debt- I rather wish to pay small sums as they become due than run on to large accounts.
If the Pigeons I sent out arrive safe and are of the right kind I shall be pleased

if they do not succeed, let me know. - Permit me likewise to propose a proper garden for Carolina. I would have in it, as many of the elegant flowering plants or shrubs, as the country produces. I call myself a sensual Botanist. Plants remarkable for their form, foliage, fragrance, elegant flowers, utility - are my objects. [illegible] grapes & the like, I leave to others. Ferns, indeed & Polypodres, I love. They are all elegant. From such a collection, more pleasure must arise than from any thing we can send except our Bulbs - Those I sent I hope came safe. - I will send any thing that is desired.

Farewell my Friend, and believe me

J. Fothergill