Beschreibung:

Autograph letter signed (“EDarwin”), to “Dear Sir”, discussing his Botanic Garden (“...Mr Boothby writes me word, he has had the pleasure of waiting upon you, – & has favour´d me with some remarks you made on a poem, in which I have written several of the notes, & corrected some of the verse, a great part of which was written by Miss [Anna] Seward...the design of the poem was to induce ladies & others unemploy´d scholars to study Botany, by putting many of the agreeable botanical facts into the notes...”), the letter also discussing the translation of Elmgreen´s Termini (“...this translation of the termini, if you will give me leave, I will transmit to you in a week or two, & hope you will just cast your eye over it...The greatest care shall be observed to avoid any ridiculous terms, particularly in those bordering on obscenity, – the word grinning I should imagine can not be well changed...”), asking if he can obtain a copy of Linnaeus´s Species plantarum, and giving news of “our society”, four pages, 4to, docketed by recipient, guard and some glue-staining at the edge, printed identification slip, no place or date, [? c.1790] Erasmus´s Botanic Garden had been inspired by some lines written by Anna Seward on his garden at Lichfield. The second part, Loves of the Plants, was published first in 1789, the opening verses being taken, without acknowledgement, from her. It was followed in 1792 by the first part, the Economy of Vegetation. Sold with a letter by Erasmus´s great-grandson, Sir Francis, piecing together some of the allusions contained in the letter.