Thomas Pennant letter to William Borlase

A letter, 17 August 1764, from Thomas Pennant, Downing, to his fellow naturalist [the Rev. William] Borlase, concerning Pennant's grief at the recent death of his first wife, a drawing [?of a lamprey] sent by Borlase, the receipt from a Mr Fleischer of Copenhagen of a Scandinavian collection of birds (see Thomas Pennant, British Zoology, 4 vols (London, 1768-1770), I, 134-135) and tips on the drawing of seals. There are also references to Sir J[ohn] St Aubyn, [4th baronet].

Thomas Pennant, naturalist, antiquary and traveller, was born on the Downing estate in Flintshire. He was educated at Wrexham and London before entering Queen's College, Oxford aged eighteen. Thomas developed a love of the natural world at school and began travelling whilst at Oxford; in the following years he travelled widely throughout Britain and Europe. The Outlines of the Globe was Thomas's most ambitious literary project. The work originally took up twenty-two volumes but only four of these were published - two by Pennant himself and two by his son, David.

Sotheby's; London; Purchased at auction (lot 46); 30 April 2015; 006845336.

Thomas Pennant, naturalist, antiquary and traveller, was born on the Downing estate in Flintshire. He was educated at Wrexham and London before entering Queen's College, Oxford aged eighteen. Thomas developed a love of the natural world at school and began travelling whilst at Oxford; in the following years he travelled widely throughout Britain and Europe. The Outlines of the Globe was Thomas's most ambitious literary project. The work originally took up twenty-two volumes but only four of these were published - two by Pennant himself and two by his son, David.

Title based on contents.

Preferred citation: NLW MS 24045F, f. 10.

Previously sold at auction at Sotheby's, London, 7 December 1984 (lot 466); sold in 2015 as part of of the Fattorini Collection formed by Hugh Fattorini (1934-2005).

See also NLW MS 12705C.

Published