Letter from Sir James Edward Smith, Norwich to Mrs. Spencer Stanhope, Holkham

Norwich Jan.y 27. 1824.

My dear Madam

I am always happy to be honoured
with your commands, & especially when
they relate to Botany – nor shall I be less
proud to have my name appear in Mr.
Stanhope’s book. I will here enclose a
precise copy of all I have y7et published
on the subject of the Grecian Pine, which
is in my Prodromus Florae Graecae, [previous 3 words underlined], in 2 vols.
octavo.

I have drawn it out so that
Mr. Stanhope may quote the volume & page
as if he had seen the book & have
added every thing that may be recessary,
in case he should not be conversant with
botanical books.

I will also add,
that the Pinus maritima [previous 2 words underlined] has been hitherto
little known to botanists, & scarcely cultivated
in England. If it was cultivated by Miller
in 1759, as appears by his Gardener’s Dictionary,
quoted in Aiton’s Hortius Kewensis, it was not


p.2

long preserved. The tribe of Firs or Pines
did not much engage the attention of botanists,
& cultivators scarcely knew one from another,
till Mr. Lambert studied them thoroughly &
gave their history & qualities.

I hope
Mr. Stanhope’s plants are flourishing. Whether
they will bear our climate I know not.


p.3

I have written the preceding scrap so
that Mr. Stanhope may if he pleases cut
it off.

How happy should I be to show
him & you Mr. Lambert’s book! There is
a very imperfect figure of this Pine, done
from a dried specimen, I think, at Oxford.

In answer to your kind enquiries, I
have enjoyed the mild winter, & yet I am
not in very strong health. We are projecting
a visit to Matlock or Bristol, both which
are always very salutary to me. The last
sheet of the 2d. volume of my Flora [underlined] is
now in[? - paper torn away, possibly attached to the next line] the press, & I shall be a little
at leisure.

I hope the books will
find you at Holkham when they come
out.

I trust all is well at that
beloved place, & every individual as
happy as I can wish them.

Lady Smith desires to join me in best
compliments to Mr. Stanhope, yourself, &
all our valued friends.

Believe me dear Madam
Yr. ever faithful & obliged
J E Smith


p.4

To
Mrs. Spencer Stanhope
Holkham