Nicolaus Joseph von Jacquin expresses thanks for a letter sent in December 1759{L2618} that had been delayed in the mail because the address was not correct. It had been delivered to the botanical garden (Jacquin refers to the Botanical Garden of the University of Vienna, founded in 1754) from where it was eventually brought to Jacquin. He points out that Vienna is too big a city to permit poor addressing.
After some introductory botanical details, Jacquin agrees with Linnaeus in being careful in deciding on new species. However, he sees very many variations in details, and he can not be satisfied with his efforts as a botanist if he does not report and assess these variations.
Additional details are supplied on several plants. More elaborate comments are given on Pistea and Aralia, where he disagrees with Linnaeus’s and Patrick Browne’s findings, for example, on Begonia and Turnera Plumieri.
After a report on his own work, Jacquin covers a number of practical matters, the most significant being:
Jacquin sees it necessary to give Linnaeus very detailed instructions on where to send mail, depending on whether books or other material are enclosed or not. Jacquin is eager to reduce mail costs and to make the transport more reliable.
Jacquin asks Linnaeus to send him seeds that will produce nice flowers, that could please the Emperor Franz I. He is very anxious to have an exchange of seeds with Linnaeus.
Jacquin asks Linnaeus for the price of Systema naturae (Jacquin refers presumably to the 10th edition, 1758-1759) in Stockholm. He had paid three gold coins for his copy in Vienna and had heard from Johan Frederik Gronovius that the price in Leiden was 6.5 Dutch florins, but he does not trust the booksellers.
A merchant and close friend, also being an expert in the local flora, had given Jacquin some rare seeds that he wanted to share with Linnaeus. A list is enclosed. One of the plants is known also from Alexander Ludwig Laugier, professor of botany in Vienna.
Jacquin will use the spring to explore the Alpine flora and will keep Linnaeus updated on his results.
The dissertation Flora Jamaicensis is welcomed.
The species Robinsonia has its name from a Mr Robinson, erroneously called Robertson by Browne, whom Jacquin had met in the Americas. He was a surgeon who had left medical practice and devoted himself entirely to botany in Linnaeus’ spirit. Jacquin had found that this man, a very able botanist, corresponded with somebody in London, whose name was not known, that he had forgotten his Latin, and that he was a little too fond of alcoholic beverages.
Jacquin asks about Charles de Lecluse and his work on various plants especially from the Austrian region (Jacquin refers to Rariorum aliquot stirpium per Pannoniam, Austriam & viciniis quasdam provincias observatarum historia). – Giovanni Antonio Scopoli’s work (Jacquin refers to Flora Carniolica) is in the press.