Two Autograph Letters To Sir Hans Sloane Of Which One Is A Catalogue Of Fossils Sent By The Writer

Author : Benjamin Silliman
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (57 download)

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Download or read book Silliman Family Correspondence written by Benjamin Silliman and published by . This book was released on 1839 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The collection consists of eleven handwritten, signed letters, nine sent to Benjamin Silliman, Sr.; one to Silliman, Jr.; and one written by Silliman, Sr. The correspondents are geologists, paleontologists or other scientists; the letters are primarily concerned with topics such as geology, meteorites and fossils, while personal matters are mentioned in closing. Details of the letters are as follows: A. Sent to Silliman, Sr. 1. From W.B. Rogers at the Univ. of Va., one letter, May 17, 1839, discussing his Geological reports and other geological subjects; Rogers also mentions seeing "your son." 2. From J.C. Poggendorf in Berlin, one letter, Aug. 15, 1839, but written as two separate documents, in German and English respectively, requesting issues of AJS he has not received and responding to Silliman's request for issues of Poggendorf's journal on physics. 3. From Charles Daubeny at Oxford [England], one letter, Feb. 19, 1840, enclosing his "little chemical book ... which has just appeared," and mentioning that it is a supplement. (Daubeny's Supplement to the Introduction to the atomic theory (1831) was published in 1840.) 4. From [Sir] Richard Owen in London, two letters, Mar. 16, 1843, and Dec. 6, 1848, concerning Ornithichnites, fossil footprints found in the Connecticut River Valley region of Massachusetts and first examined by James Deane and Edward Hitchcock in 1836; and Dinornis, the extinct moa of New Zealand. Of Ornithichnites Owen says, "It is important to remember that these were reptiles." In the 1848 letter, Owen thanks Silliman for the "good wishes of your accomplished son" and also mentions "your friend Mr. Dana" (James Dwight Dana, Silliman Sr.'s son-in-law). 5. From D.D. Owen [New Harmony, Ind.], one letter, Aug. 28, 1845, addressed to "Professor Silliman," sending payment for a subscription to "your journal," apparently through a kind of money order, which "will be more acceptable than enclosing a Western [dollar sign]5 bill." Owen says he will send his continuation of the Review of the N.Y. [Geological] Reports (published in 1844). 6. From James Deane in Greenfield [Mass.], one letter, Jan. 11, 1847, discussing the identification of fossil birds by comparison with modern species. The letter contains two cut-and-pasted pieces, one an excerpt of an article by Deane discussing the foot of Ardea cinerea, the gray heron; the other a drawing of the foot. 7. From Wilhelm Haidinger in Vienna, one letter, July 3, 1861, primarily about recent occurrences of meteorites from locations around the world. Haidinger also refers to the U.S. Civil War, hoping that "ultimate victory" will go to the "Northern States and with true humanity and benevolence." B. From Silliman, Sr., one letter, Feb. 20, 1851, to John Taylor, a Liverpool merchant, an acquaintance from Silliman's first visit to England in 1805. Silliman discusses his plans for his upcoming European trip in which he will be accompanied by his son and other family members and friends. He refers to a protracted illness he and his wife suffered, leading to her death. C. Sent to Silliman, Jr. From Joseph Henry at the Smithsonian Institution, one letter, July 12, 1857, discussing Silliman's planned lecture series on geology that he will give "during the next session of Congress." Henry adds that "your father" has also given a course on geology there.