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Auction: 16043 - Autographs, Historical Documents, Ephemera and Postal History
Lot: 40

Documents
Leonard Jenyns
1841 (9 November) 3pp entire A.L.S. from Swaffham Belbeck to John Van Voorst, a natural history publisher, discussing various publishing aspects of Gilbert White's 'A Natural History of Selbourne', a new edition with notes that he published in 1843. He also writes that he hopes to start this once he had published (the monograph) on Darwin's 'Fishes' for the 'Zoology of the Voyage of the Beagle' and that professor (John Stevens) Henslow would contribute notes on plants but does not want his name mentioned anywhere. There is some damage to the centre which minimally affects the text. Addressed to Paternoster Row, London, the address side with open top Newmarket despatch c.d.s. with London arrival on the reverse (the adhesive has been washed off). Photo

Leonard Jenyns (1800 – 1893) was an English clergyman, author and naturalist. He was forced to take on the name Leonard Blomefield to receive an inheritance. He is chiefly remembered for his detailed phenology observations of the times of year at which events in natural history occurred.


Jenyns was the original choice for the naturalist on the second voyage of HMS Beagle but turned down the offer due to ill health and parish duties. His diary entry for 1831 records, "This year I had the offer of accompanying Capt. Fitzroy, as Naturalist, in the Beagle, on his voyage to survey the coasts of S.America, afterwards going round the globe:- declined the appointment wc was afterwards given to Charles Darwin Esq. of Xts' College Cambridge".


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Sold for
£400