Letter from E.S. [Edward Sabine] to Joseph Sabine esq [secretary of the Horticultural Society of London], 42 Warwick Street, Regent Street, London

Title

Letter from E.S. [Edward Sabine] to Joseph Sabine esq [secretary of the Horticultural Society of London], 42 Warwick Street, Regent Street, London

Record type

Archive

Original Reference

RHS/Col/2/Z1/4

Date

25 Nov 1821

Scope & content

Postmarked ('Weymouth 25NO25 1821' and [illegible]). The letter includes an opened seal

Annotated at the top of the letter in the same hand as the main letter: 'Bella has puppies'

He wrote a few lines yesterday for Joseph to act upon; he thinks that Sir Robert [Robert Mends, captain of HMS Iphigenia] only cares about subjects in his own interests, so it is of little use to urge the importance of science to him, and the only possible solution is to use the Admiralty's expectations; he wrote to Sir Humphry [Humphry Davy, chemist and inventor, president of the Royal Society] yesterday to the same purpose; he withdrew £10 from the Horticultural Society's accounts for the expenses of Don [George Don] including his journey, stay at Portsmouth, and one day onshore here as he had neither eaten nor slept for three days on board, and the stay also introduced him to the lieutenants and to Mr Veitch [Henry Veitch, British consul in Madeira]; Don returned on board today; they will not sail before Monday as the wind is against them; Veitch, Captain Clavering [Douglas Charles Clavering, captain of HMS Pheasant] and himself will dine with Mends and family; Mends is rather 'miserly', probably as he has a large family and small means; all the officers are interested in his observations, except the commodore and the first lieutenant, though the latter is 'very good-natured'; the officers say that Mends will hurry home to his family as fast as he can after leaving Africa, and it is painful to be so dependent on the will of an individual when he is sacrificing his comforts and time; he is independent of Mends for the most part, though he tends to worry even though on the whole he is very well off; he is anxious about Joseph's health, and thinks he should take more precautions; Don is glad he is not among the midshipmen, but wishes they were arrived at Madeira; he wishes Joseph could be here to see Smith's [John Smith, Edward Sabine's assistant] alertness, good humour and steadiness: 'he is certainly a very useful man, when he chooses'; he would like Sir George Cockburn [admiral of the fleet] to write to Mends to say that there are many important experiments and observations not named in the instructions which he wishes to make, and that Mends should give every opportunity and assistance, especially after he leaves his station and such assistance will not interfere with any other objects save that of hurrying home; he asks if Lord Mountnorris [George Annesley, British politician] could get Sir George to do this as it would be very important to him; they will sail tomorrow but only if the wind suits; he expects a letter from Joseph today but they cannot answer the same day from Weymouth

Extent

4 page letter (1 sheet)

Is part of

RHS archive: plant collector papers

Repository

Royal Horticultural Society Lindley Library

Copyright

John J. Timothy Jeal

Credit Line

Courtesy John J. Timothy Jeal / RHS Lindley Collections

Usage terms

Non-commercial use with attribution permitted (CC BY-NC 4.0)