Anna Blackburne reports that she has sent a small box to Linnaeus, containing birds and insects. She mentions the name of the ship and its master.
Blackburne has received a letter from Linnaeus [Linnaeus to Blackburne, 28 July 1771{L6298}]. She mentions that she was present at an incident that Linnaeus had described to her.
Blackburne mentions that several British women are fond of plants, but the only one she knows who has studied them scientifically is Anne Monson. Blackburne herself has acquired the Systema naturae [Blackburne refers presumably to the 12th edition, Systema naturae, 12th edition] and studied it with some difficulty, since she did not know any Latin when she began, four or five years earlier. Blackburne’s father [John Blackburne] has a fine collection of plants, but since he is 73 years old, he has not learnt Linnaeus’s system so Blackburne has little help from him.
Blackburne wishes she could send Linnaeus a new species, which Linnaeus could name after her. She has a nice collection of stuffed birds, shells, insects, fish and fossils, and her brother in America contributes to it.
Through a friend of theirs, Blackburne had heard that Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander had collected 1,000 new species of plants, 150 birds, 200 fish, 50 insects, 20 quadrupeds and several shells and corals. However, Blackburne is confident that Linnaeus has received a more detailed account through his own network.
P. S. Blackburne asks for confirmation that the box has arrived and some comments on the contents.