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William Cooper and John Torrey correspondence, 1821-1830

by: Cooper, William,1798?-1864

Publication date: 1821

Topics: Arum, Botanical specimens, Carex, Larus, Ornithology, Peltandra, Ruppia, Zoological specimens, Cooper, William, 1798?-1864, Torrey, John, 1796-1873, Oakes, William, 1799-1848, Babington, B. G. (Benjamin Guy), 1794-1866, Barratt, Joseph, 1796-1882, Bonaparte, Charles Lucian, 1803-1857, Brongniart, Adolphe, 1801-1876, Brongniart, Alexandre, 1770-1847, Brown, Robert, 1773-1858, Candolle, Augustin Pyramus de, 1778-1841, Clarion, Jacques, 1776-1844, Cozzens, Fred. S., active 1814-1825, De Kay, James E. (James Ellsworth), 1792-1851, Desfontaines, René Louiche, 1750-1833, Dewey, Chester, 1784-1867, Eaton, Amos, 1776-1842, Fischer, F. E. L. (Friedrich Ernst Ludwig), 1782-1854, Gates, Elias, Gay-Lussac, Joseph Louis, 1778-1850, Good, John Mason, 1764-1827, Greville, Robert Kaye, 1794-1866, Halsey, Abraham, 1790-1857, Harlan, Richard, 1796-1843, Hitchcock, Edward, 1793-1864, Hosack, David, 1769-1835, Lamarck, Jean Baptiste Pierre Antoine de Monet de, 1744-1829, Le Conte, John Eatton, 1784-1860, Michaux, François André, 1770-1855, Nuttall, Thomas, 1786-1859, Parry, William Edward, Sir, 1790-1855, Schweinitz, Lewis David von, 1780-1834, Smith, James Edward, 1759-1828, Swainson, William, 1789-1855, Thénard, Louis Jacques, baron, 1777-1857, Lyceum of Natural History (New York, N.Y.), Jardin du roi (France)

Collection: nybgtorrey; biodiversity; NY_Botanical_Garden

Contributor: New York Botanical Garden, LuEsther T. Mertz Library

Language: English

John Torrey Papers (PP), Archives, The New York Botanical Garden

Correspondence from William Cooper to John Torrey, dated 1821-1830. The first half of the collection (1821-1823) covers the period of Cooper's education in Europe; the first letter, dated June 27, 1821, is written shortly after Cooper's arrival in London. Cooper's letters from this period are almost giddy, packed with accounts of scientific institutions he has visited and notable scientific figures he has met. As he travels through Europe his frustration with Torrey gradually mounts as the latter fails to respond to Cooper's long letters, culmanating with Cooper's vow that his letter of June 10, 1822 will be his last if he does not receive a reply from the man he had previously addressed as "Jack" but has now taken to calling "Dr. Torrey" and "Your Doctorship." Cooper later acknowledges finally receiving a reply, but periodically complains of Torrey's repeated long silences and failure to take into account the amount of time it takes a letter to find its way from New York to Paris. Correspondence from the second half of the collection (1824-1830) deals largely with issues surrounding the activities of the Lyceum of Natural History-- with which both Cooper and Torrey were closely involved-- particularly its publications. Toward the end of this period it becomes Cooper's turn to make excuses for not writing-- he is in love and distracted by his new wife. The collection also includes one letter from Cooper to William Oakes of Ipswich, Massachusetts, discussing ornithology and ornithological specimens. Obsolete plant and animal names mentioned include Anas spectabilis, Aroidea dracontium, Caladium glaucum, and Lecontia

Digitized under grant #PW-234827-16 from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)

Finding aid for the John Torrey papers available from the LuEsther T. Mertz Library, New York Botanical Garden and online

Abstract: Correspondence from William Cooper to John Torrey, dated 1821-1830. The first half of the collection (1821-1823) covers the period of Cooper's education in Europe; the first letter, dated June 27, 1821, is written shortly after Cooper's arrival in London. Cooper's letters from this period are almost giddy, packed with accounts of scientific institutions he has visited and notable scientific figures he has met. As he travels through Europe his frustration with Torrey gradually mounts as the latter fails to respond to Cooper's long letters, culmanating with Cooper's vow that his letter of June 10, 1822 will be his last if he does not receive a reply from the man he had previously addressed as "Jack" but has now taken to calling "Dr. Torrey" and "Your Doctorship." Cooper later acknowledges finally receiving a reply, but periodically complains of Torrey's repeated long silences and failure to take into account the amount of time it takes a letter to find its way from New York to Paris. Correspondence from the second half of the collection (1824-1830) deals largely with issues surrounding the activities of the Lyceum of Natural History-- with which both Cooper and Torrey were closely involved-- particularly its publications. Toward the end of this period it becomes Cooper's turn to make excuses for not writing-- he is in love and distracted by his new wife. The collection also includes one letter from Cooper to William Oakes of Ipswich, Massachusetts, discussing ornithology and ornithological specimens. Obsolete plant and animal names mentioned include Anas spectabilis, Aroidea dracontium, Caladium glaucum, and Lecontia.