| RefNo | CB/1/1/169 |
| AltRefNo | BLA.B.86 |
| Level | Item |
| Title | Letter from Sir Joseph Banks, Soho Square to Charles Blagden |
| Date | 20 December 1819 |
| Description | Has not been well during severe weather. Severe frost has damaged gardens. Wanted to bring Gilbert before the Council of the RS to discuss French tables but he is not yet ready. Discusses article in Moniteur on African exploration, Bowditch must be the Englishman mentioned. He is promoting the establishment of an astronomical establishment at the Cape of Good Hope. The alabaster sarcophagus has not yet left Cairo, the Pasha is going to levy a tax on curiosities sent from Egypt the proceeds from which are to be appropriated to religious uses. Has not heard of the Irish Mr Hume who Blagden tells him has discovered an error in Euler. Discusses political unrest, is not afraid of the "Physical Force of our Mechanic Levellers" unless for the shock of hearing that many of their lives must be lost. Hopes Blagden did not send a copy of his previous letter to Countess Rumford concerning her intended compliment "I do not wonder she did not speak of it when you saw her and I shall be agreeably surprised if she ever speaks of me again". Labouring hard to establish an Observatory at the Cape. Discusses new peach and also young Herschel's paper at the Royal Society on the polarization of light. |
| Extent | 1 sheet |
| Format | Manuscript |
| AccessStatus | Open |
| RelatedMaterial | Item 351, The Banks Letters, A Calendar of the manuscript correspondence of Sir Joseph Banks preserved in the British Museum... London, 1958. |
Fellows associated with this archive
| Code | PersonName | Dates |
| NA8116 | Banks; Sir; Joseph (1744 - 1820); naturalist | 1744 - 1820 |