Letters to Johan Ernst Gunnerus.


Johan Ernst Gunnerus (born 26 February 1718 in Kristiania, died 25 September 1773 in Kristiansund)
was a bishop in Trondhjem and a naturalist,
known as one of the founders of the Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters.



27. marts 1763 Copenhagen



Most Reverend etc. Mr. Bishop!

The sorting of my seeds and plants and the preparations for sowing in the now approaching spring have occupied me in recent weeks and kept me from writing to good friends in Trondhjem. After your esteemed letter of the 6th of February, Mr. Stabel has now also shown me a letter addressed to him by Your Reverence, concerning a type of haa.

To begin with a reply to your letter of February 6: the Katzenhai (catshark) is certainly the same as the yellow haa, that is, Chimæra monstrosa, and both I and Mr. Tyrholm have received this fish on the south side of the mountain range and also in Stavanger under the name gul haa, along with the report that its liver oil is an unrivaled remedy for wounds. Worm’s account of what he calls Centrine is entirely worthless. He meant our chimæra by it, but his description is incomplete and erroneous, and the synonyms, such as piscis porcus, are incorrect, for that fish is Squalus centrina L. Of all the old ichthyologists, Clusius is the only one who provides any account of our chimæra, and his description is copied by others.

A gulhaa which Mr. Tyrholm gave to my brother in Brunswick, who presumably placed it in the Ducal Cabinet there, had on the back of the neck beside the long spine a very peculiar and paradoxical bony structure, shaped like a rider’s spur, but not vertically placed, like a spur or millwheel usually lies, but resting horizontally on its stems—just as a wheel upon which one lays a criminal rests upon its post.

When comparing this with Linnaeus’s figure in the Museum Adolpho-Fridericianum, we found great discrepancies in the details, and the description was altogether incomprehensible, so that we could well perceive that Linnaeus had neither seen the fish fresh nor had before him a well-preserved specimen. Indeed, the head of the creature is so oddly and intricately shaped that it must either be drawn immediately after being caught or preserved in spirits, for when dry, it alters in many respects irreparably and becomes unrecognizable: the fish is worth a bottle of brandy—one only needs to cut off the head behind the spine at the neck.

The Myxine glutinosa I have not had occasion to examine further, so I shall only remind you to consult Kalm’s Travels, part 1, p. 100. The sea squirt I find in Bohadsch (in his marginally annotated book) on p. 132, plate X, figures 4 and 5, where he calls this mollusc Tethyum fasciculatum. I also clearly remember seeing this in Grimstad and in Lillesand between Grimstad and Arendal in the narrow sound areas known as Blindelejer, when I had coral dredging done there with oyster tongs and scoop nets. It appears there quite frequently, but I was hindered by other matters from describing it or having it drawn. It has a very persistent motion (motus valde pertinax) and is extremely sensitive to stimuli. I have given the book to Mr. Stabel so that he may have the description and figures copied.

Concerning the so-called Wættennyrer (water kidneys), there are some notices in Worm’s letters where they are called faba manna islandica. I shall otherwise leave undecided whether they are identical with the so-called faba latissima purgans. This faba purgans is an unknown fruit, unused in medicine, and found only in some pharmacological authors, though not with Linnaeus.

The Norwegian Wættennyrer are surely the fruit of a terrestrial plant, without doubt a tree, either of the class Papilionaceae or, as I am more inclined to think, of the one Linnaeus calls Loniceraceae, and are carried over the sea from America. Yet the district judge Lessøe of Helgeland assured me that a man in his region had once found a coconut on the beach, and when he cracked it open, it still had juice and kernel inside. The good pastors who believe these beans grow on some kind of seaweed in the ocean deserve thanks—but whoever confuses such fruits with the bladders of seaweed (vesicae fucorum) has not come far enough in natural history to say quid distent æra lupinis.

Regarding your doubts whether the Haakierring is Squalus Carcharias, I cannot give a complete clarification. It might be so, for I doubt Linnaeus himself ever had a chance to examine the Carcharias, and indeed, I find with regret that Linnaeus too often admits species that in one way or another contradict the definition of their genus… Just look at his Alcas.

The coral specimens you sent belong to the genus Gorgonia in Linnaeus, Systema Naturae, p. 800. One of them comes very close to G. placomus, but does not entirely match; the other, with the attached, worm-like shells (or cases of what Linnaeus calls Larvae), is a most curious species I have long speculated over and which remains entirely unknown to me. Mr. Pontoppidan owns a very large specimen of it. It would be a great benefit to examine it immediately upon being brought up from the water.

At Nærø I saw a beautiful large specimen of Alcyonium arboreum, which I assume has now reached Your Reverence. At the time I had a piece of it with its spore-bodies, or whatever they may be called, drawn—though not in colour. The drawing is at the service of the Society.

The haa mentioned in your letter to Mr. Stabel is likely Squalus Catulus. I once had a pencil drawing made of a young specimen of this fish in the diocese of Christiansand. I will send you this drawing as well. Furthermore, I will give Mr. Stabel Osbeck’s Journal so that he may make the desired drawing of Canicula or Squalus conductus.

Now a word about the printed writings of the Society:

The storm petrel is included in the new edition of Linnaeus’s Fauna Suecica under no. 144 and called Procellaria arctica. As for p. 200, allow me to remark that the explanation given there for the union of Peteril and Havhest... The genus itself is sound, but one must presume, in all readers seeking to deal with natural-historical investigation, a certain level of understanding of the method of that science—namely, that one is permitted to unite under a genus such things as are very similar, that one places the essence of the genus in the shared characters by which the united things are distinguished from all other natural bodies, and that one names the genus after the predominant species. Similarly, in regard to note a. p. 193, I would point out that Caspar Schott, just like his stablemate Athanasius Kircher, belongs among those who have earned no authority in natural history, being nothing more than compilers and fabulists. I regret also that Wormius showed a certain partiality for marvels.

The small seabird mentioned on p. 190 and further discussed on p. 263f. is in Mr. Tyrholm’s possession in 2–3 specimens and was likewise received under the name Pehrdrikker. It is probably Alca Alle in Linnaeus, although its beak hardly fits the generic definition—no more than the Teist, which Mr. L. ultimately judged best removed from the genus Alca and placed in Colymbus, where it now appears as C. Grylle (Fauna Suecica, 2nd ed., p. 148). I do not have Martin or Moehring at hand to check whether our Pehrdrikker is in fact the former’s Rotgans or the latter’s arctica.

The Imber is likewise present in Mr. Tyrholm’s Norwegian bird collection. It is a very distinct species of Colymbus, whose vernacular name I leave to Mr. Linnaeus. It is likely the Mergus maximus faeröensis in Worm and Laurentius, for Mr. Tyrholm has a specimen that is black and white spotted with a neck collar, of which I shall ask him to draw up a proper description to report to you on another occasion. These may well be male and female, differing in colour.

The enclosed sheet contains some of my informal thoughts as to which subjects the Society might most profitably occupy itself with. I ask you to convey my most humble greetings to Mr. Et. R. Suhm and to request a little more indulgence before I provide my overdue reply.

I now await news from Mr. Mag. Schiønning and the subscriptions to the Flora. Some enthusiasts will surely have come forward. Twenty copies are going to Bergen.

The King has designated a certain number of uncoloured copies for each diocese—in usum perpetuum—for some naturalists to be found in each, who will act as correspondents of the Professor of Botany, who is to be at liberty to choose the persons. For the diocese of Trondhjem, the following are now at the bookbinder: one copy for a layman (Dr. Henrici, whom I ask you, with my greetings, to inquire whether he will accept it), and three for clergy, whom I currently have in mind: Mr. Abildgaard in Røros, Mr. Erich Schytte in Lyngen, and Mr. Hagerup in Salten. With these copies follows a printed instruction regarding their use and...

[Remainder of the letter missing]


5. marts 1763 Copenhagen



Most noble etc. Mr. Bishop, Most esteemed Patron and Friend!As the address office has not been able to obtain permission for the intended traveling post, the dispatch of the ordered copies of Flora Danica could likewise not take place.

Now, however, Mr. Chancellor Thodal is here, who will be traveling to Norway in about eight days. With him I shall send the promised seeds for Your Reverence, and to Mr. Councillor Suhm his manuscript with a letter from me. I ask that he not take it amiss that I have not written until now – the reason being chiefly that I wished to await a suitable opportunity for sending the said manuscript.

I hope to persuade Mr. Thodal to take with him the copies of Flora Danica that were subscribed to through Mr. M. Schiønning. But the dispatch of the 17 copies ordered by Your Reverence must wait for a shipping opportunity, as the parcel would be far too large a burden for Mr. Thodal.

Pelt seems to me a publisher lacking either capacity or energy – or both. I have finished the manuscripts on natural history, which are to follow the exegetical and historical essays (all of which are with Mr. M. Dass). I have inquired of him several times whether printing of the natural history pieces might soon begin, but it has not progressed yet. Pelt received all the drawings long ago, except for the one of Gorgonia resedæformis, which he intended to have engraved in Leipzig. I shall now, in the next days, deliver this remaining Gorgonia to him and spur him to greater zeal.

I have duly received Your Reverence’s receipt for the 17 copies of the Flora. Should Mr. Schiønning persist in his intention, expressed in his last letter, to resign the commission regarding the Flora, then I must ask that Your Reverence’s amanuensis, under your guarantee, take over the responsibility for these copies along with the others – thus making a total of 27: 10 illuminated, and 17 black-and-white.

Might not Mr. Schweiger be interested in illuminating the copies of each of the following fascicles, starting with the tenth, that I would always send for Your Reverence? That way, both I here in Copenhagen – where it is hard to find enough illuminators – and the subscribers in Trondhjem would benefit. They could then receive their copies in grey impressions (most suitable for illumination) just as quickly as the black ones – that is, straight from the press – instead of having to wait long until they are illuminated here. Perhaps the subscribers would even be inclined to let Mr. Schweiger earn this fee and pay for the illumination themselves. Your Reverence’s own copy would suffer no harm from being used as a model for the others, as long as Mr. Schweiger works carefully, as he can and every illuminator ought.

I ask both Your Reverence and Mr. Magister Schiønning for permission to save double postage by answering the latter’s last most esteemed letter of January 22 on this open sheet. I am pleased with Mr. Magister’s assurance that the ordered copies will be distributed and paid for shortly after their arrival in Trondhjem. However, the freight and insurance – if they must be sent by ship and no incidental opportunity like Mr. Thodal presents itself – must be charged pro rata to the copies. For surely no one can reasonably demand that the same item be delivered for the same price here in Copenhagen straight from my hands and at far distant places such as Trondhjem. If this is accepted – which I hope the subscribers will no longer oppose – then I shall ensure the dispatch, and a commissioner will be at no risk, except perhaps that one or another subscriber might cancel. The shipping costs per copy are low, but altogether they would weigh on me considerably.

The settlement between me and Mr. Schiønning is as follows: He ordered 4 illuminated and 6 black copies, totaling 66 Rixdollars, of which 6 are for commission. One illuminated copy for Your Reverence has been delivered and paid for with 9 Rixdollars. The remaining 3 illuminated and 6 black copies Mr. Chancellor Thodal will carry to Trondhjem and deliver to the Magister, so that 45 Rixdollars net remain, which Mr. Schiønning will remit after Thodal’s arrival. In the meantime, he is kindly asked to declare whether he wishes to continue the commission for his subscribers or refer it to Your Reverence’s amanuensis.

In all else, I have the honor to remain, with great respect and regard for Mr. Councillor Suhm, Mr. M. Schiønning, and all other patrons and friends, but especially with much devotion to Your Reverence,

Your most humble servant

Oeder



5. Marts 1768 Copenehagen



Most reverend, most esteemed Bishop and Patron!Your message that your manuscript – most welcome and highly desired by me – would be sent to me this week by a priest traveling to Copenhagen has not reached me, or only in such a manner that it did not come into my hands.

The matter of printing the dissertations proceeds very slowly. But since the first part is now nearly completed, I shall have it bound at my own expense in the next few days and send it to you, so that you may see that, although progress is slow, the work is not at a standstill. If I could know with certainty whether and to what extent you are pleased with the printing of the entire work, I would endeavor to bring it along more swiftly.

If I could obtain the letters you sent to Leipzig, I would be able to improve many passages and complete the work in a way that would be more pleasing to you. For I greatly fear that my own letter, in which I announced my intention and asked for advice, has not arrived – so that the efforts there may entirely fail to materialize.

I assure you, my most esteemed Bishop, that I shall make every effort to complete both the botanical and the natural historical work in the way most agreeable to you. You have truly earned that everything should meet your expectations, and it shall be a special consolation and honor to me if I need not be ashamed in your eyes.

I enclose a copy of a treatise on Mucor, sent to me by Dr. Westphal. It was printed anonymously in Halle, though I have good reason to assume that the author is the same as the editor of the “Reports on Societies and Books of Natural Science.” Should it be new to you, I hope it brings you some pleasure.

With the deepest respect and unwavering devotion, I remainYour most humble servant,
Oeder



1768, 9 April, Copenhagen


Most Noble etc. Mr. Bishop,Most Honored Friend and Patron,

About fourteen days ago, another gracious letter from Your Reverence arrived, along with the drawing of Ophrys corallorhiza, and also Lichen pustill. and L. ciliaris, which are also found here in Denmark. On this occasion, I repeat my thanks, and I would have reported the arrival of your letter earlier, had I not been continually awaiting news from Mr. Hveding. The enclosed note is for him, which I ask be delivered to him with a recommendation for reply.

I write him that I intend to use the funds still due for the 6th fascicle, and henceforth, depending on circumstances, the funds expected for forthcoming fascicles, to pay for the drawings that Your Reverence may find it agreeable to have made for me by either Mr. Parelius or Schweiger.

I have growing hopes for Mr. Parelius’s drawings, and long to hear whether my recently made proposal has met the approval of those concerned—especially of Your Reverence. Nor do I doubt that Mr. Parelius can make his drawings just as well in color as in plain ink.

For Your Reverence, this is a way and method to make the plants recorded by you known in Flora Danica with less expense and with equal reliability for your renown (since I shall never fail, for any plant I have not found myself, to state from whom I received it), than if such drawings were to be published separately. Thus, a multiplicatio entium is avoided, which becomes a burden for enthusiasts, and I have reason to think that Your Reverence finds satisfaction in contributing to the completeness of a work issued by Royal Command.

I therefore send a list of desiderata, for all of which I wish to have drawings; and furthermore, once I learn how much Mr. Parelius is permitted and able to provide, I shall name some common plants of which no drawings have yet been made.

I shall stay home this coming summer for the sake of my seventh fascicle and am working with all my might on arrangements so that in a year or two, two fascicles may be published annually.

I have also decided to issue an interim collection of annotations de usu plantarum, to accommodate those enthusiasts who find it too long to wait for the part de usu until the conclusion of the entire Flora Danica, and so that, in the meantime, there may be a handbook to which those enthusiasts who also gather annotations themselves may add their own, as well as learn what is already known and what is worth noting.

I shall give further information about my plan and project, in case Your Reverence might be pleased to contribute with annotations on the remaining plants which are not mentioned in the first part of your Flora.

I have often had to hear that Flora Danica is too expensive to come into many people’s hands, but I believe a rixdaler for 15 plates is not too much considering the value, though I do not deny that the number and quantity may be somewhat burdensome for those of lesser means. But what is one to do: the work cannot be given away, and all toil and effort come to nothing.

In the meantime, I have often thought of a relief: In individual sales I cannot reduce the 4 rixdalers for an uncolored copy (and with the colored ones it is absolutely impossible to reduce the price), but if I were assured of a reasonable bulk order of no fewer than 30 copies in the Trondhjem Diocese, and Your Reverence could arrange that and the matter went through your hands, then the buyers should receive each fascicle by pre-subscription for 3 rixdalers, and with me content with 2½, the remaining half daler would cover transport costs and honorarium for those Your Reverence employs for the task.

The nine current subscribers in the Trondhjem Diocese could count among the 30 prænumerants. The matter cannot be undertaken other than by subscription, and not with fewer than 30 copies.

I remain with sincere respect and devotion Your Reverence’s humble servant

Oeder

[Oeder’s list of desiderata enclosed in the letter]:Pinquicula villosa. Eriophorum alpinum. Aira alpina. Poa alpina. Cynosurus coeruleus. Tillæa aquatica. Azalea lapponica. Campanula uniflora. Thesium linophyllum. Gentiana aurea. Laserpitium latifolium. Convallaria polygonatum. Rumex acetosa P. Alisma natans. Elatine alsinastrum. Andromeda tetragona. Andromeda calyculata. Pyrola umbellata. Saxifraga aizoides (NB: not to be confused with autumnalis). Lychnis apetala. Rubus arcticus. Potentilla nivea. Aconitum napellus. Ranunculus nivalis. Pedicularis hirsuta. Draba incana. Tutterøen. Cardamine trifolia. Cardamine petræa. Pisum arvense. Phaca alpina. Astragalus uralensis. Sonchus sibiricus. Arnica montana. Viola montana. Satyrium nigrum. Satyrium repens. Ophrys cordata, Loeselii, paludosa, monophyllos, corallorrhiza. Cypripedium calceolus, bulbosum. Carex globularis. Najas marina. Salix phylicifolia, hastata, myrsinites, arbuscula, glauca, aurita, lanata, repens, rosmarinifolia, depressa. Acrostichum thelypteris. Splachnum rubrum, luteum. Marchantia hemispherica. Lichen saccatus. Polypodium lonchitis. Hieracium taraxaci. Scandix odorata, Lilium bulbiferum, Rumex obtusifolius.

(These three need not be illustrated, but only reported when encountered): Cardamine parviflora. Sisymbrium supinum. Astragalus pilosus. Orchis odoratissima.

These desiderata are taken from Linnaeus’ Flora Suecica and Fauna Svecica, p. 557.

Fuci from D. H.’s Flora Norvegica: No. 310. Fucus ovinus, which according to Ray’s Synonyma is Linné’s ceranoides; No. 311. Fucus caprinus, likewise according to Ray’s Synonyma Linné’s confervoides; No. 312. Fucus bifurcatus; No. 313. Fucus pinnatus.

I have a drawing from Iceland of Fucus confervoides, I believe, and likewise another from the same source of Fucus pinnatus, as I think, and I would like to compare them with D. H.’s figures, as I intend to use these drawings in my seventh fascicle. Fucus hyperboreus, called Fucus digitatus by Hudson, will also appear in the same fascicle.



1768, December 3, Copenhagen



Most noble etc. Mr. Bishop, Most Honorable Friend and Benefactor!I have been absent during the later part of the summer on a journey to Brunswick, and during that time my servant, to my great regret, neglected the opportunity to send to Trondheim both the requested asparagus plants and the specimens of Flora Danica’s new or 7th fascicle, and I humbly ask that you do not hold this fault against me. Both parts are now ready at the earliest opportunity, which will surely be observed, and the asparagus plants shall be packed so that they suffer no damage during transport at any time of the year. I would also ask, for further certainty, that the ship departures from here to Trondheim be communicated to me, and if possible that some skipper be expressly assigned to me, because it is truly often difficult for me to know of their arrival and departure.

In an enclosed letter, I write to Mr. Dr. T[honning] my thoughts about what might be done by him for the advancement of Flora Danica, about which he will undoubtedly consult with Your Honor; and I am confident he will be strengthened in his good intention. I now also ask Your Honor to exhort Mr. Hveding and Mr. Parelius: the first to give me at least once information about Flora Danica fascicle 6to, and the latter to send me the prints of Pinguicula alpina and Ophrydibus alpina and corallorhiza, with his illumination, so that I may use these plates for the upcoming 8th fascicle.

Next, I have a request to Your Honor for the public good. I am engaged in work on three books:

1st, a book about the usefulness of herbs, based on the copious collections found in Mr. von Haller’s new book Historia plantarum Helveticarum indigenarum, which are the fruit of a matchless reading.

2nd, a systematic catalogue of both the already known and some presumed indigenous plants of the Danish lands, from which I will next time send Your Honor the first sheet, which I have had printed as a sample for certain reasons, and of which the largest part of Cryptantheris is finished in manuscript.

3rd, a nomenclator botanicus, which the preparation of the catalogue has prompted me to create. Since this catalogue is intended to be a pocketbook useful on excursions, I found it best to omit vernacular names in it, which belong properly to agnotionem plantarum, and instead to publish a separate nomenclator. This nomenclator is composed of:

A Linnéan synonymic nomenclator, where the Latin names commonly used by unsystematic authors, partly barbarous but nevertheless often found in medical authors and others, are first arranged alphabetically, and beside each name stand Linné’s generic and trivial names.
A pharmaceutical-Linnéan nomenclator, about those prescribed to pharmacists in dispensatories.
Linnéan-German.
German-Linnéan.
Linnéan-Danish.
Danish-Linnéan.
Linnéan-Swedish.
Swedish-Linnéan.
Linnéan-French.
French-Linnéan.
Linnéan-English.
English-Linnéan.

This nomenclator, consisting of 12 small nomenclators, will probably amount to 10–12 sheets of fine 80-size print and is nearly finished so it can go to press as soon as a ship arrives from Bordeaux bringing the paper needed for it, expected any day.

Now, my request is that Your Honor would, for the fuller completion of the Linnéan-Danish and Danish-Linnéan nomenclators, communicate to me the Norwegian names collected by them (with the indication of the places where they are used), as many as are not already in their Flora Norvegica. They only need to be extracted or let be extracted by a legible hand from their notes, without order, and only once each, whether Linnéan or vernacular comes first. They will be properly arranged here in alphabetical order, and the public will be reminded that I owe Your Honor thanks for the communication. If I might hope to see my request fulfilled, these two nomenclators, to save time, could be the last in print, since it is utterly indifferent which language stands first or last. However, unless the paper is lost, this nomenclator, according to the contract with the printer, must be finished for the Leipzig Easter Fair. For their dispatch, herewith via His Excellency Count Moltke’s cover for service.

Perhaps I may also hope for the same favor regarding my book on the usefulness of herbs, and that Your Honor, by comparing their observations with the above-mentioned Mr. von Haller’s collection, may be pleased to communicate to me their additions, to be inserted in my book in their own words? For this purpose, a copy of Opera Halleri is at service free of charge.

I have the honor, with the greatest respect and devotion, to be Your Honor’s humble servant,

Oeder.



1769, July 8, Copenhagen



Most Honorable etc. Mr. Bishop!

Now my 8th fascicle, as well as the proven nomenclator, are finished, but I consider it prudent not to send anything further to Trondheim before I know how things stand with Mr. Daniel Hveding, who has not yet accounted for the 6th and 7th fascicles. Therefore, I find myself obliged to respectfully ask Your Honor to apply your good offices in this matter.

Truly, I do not know what to think or say about Mr. Hveding, who otherwise has been so precise, but in recent years has not deemed it worth responding to repeated reminders, while on my side I know of no reasonable cause for annoyance. If he no longer wishes to continue the commission, it would be best to say so and not keep sending me books or prevent me from transferring the commission to another, e.g., Mr. Parelius. If the buyers of Flora Danica are negligent in payment (although it is not to be expected, since these are all un-illuminated copies, people should not make difficulties over 2½ rigsdaler), then it is best to disregard difficult customers, pay me for the sold copies, send back the unsold ones, and warn me regarding the remainder, so I do not send more copies than can be sold.

I therefore earnestly ask that Your Honor see this matter rectified for the past and, if possible, properly set on course for the future. You will no doubt agree with me in my effort to avoid loss in a trade whose profit is only moderate, and not to send my goods away on an uncertain speculation into the hands of a man whom I see neglects it.

I had ordered Zoologia britannica from England for Your Honor, but since it seemed too expensive, Mr. Conference Councillor Suhm has helped me out with it. Otherwise, I have received Plukenet’s Opera from England on your account, a beautiful and well-conditioned copy which Your Honor had ordered some time ago, as the book was not immediately available. It costs 25 rigsdaler 36 skilling. Mr. Henningsen has received it but has not yet paid, awaiting instructions, which I hope he will receive.

I have the honor, with greatest respect, to be Your Honor’s devoted servant,Oeder.