Elias Durand and John Torrey correspondence, 1832-1866

by: Durand, Elias,1794-1873

Publication date: 1832

Topics: Herbarium, Botanical specimens, Cerastium, Saxifraga, Durand, Elias, 1794-1873, Torrey, John, 1796-1873, Barratt, Joseph, 1796-1882, Bastard, T. (Toussaint), 1784-1846, Beckwith, E. G. (Edward Griffin), 1818-1881, Bentham, George, 1800-1884, Buckley, S. B. (Samuel Botsford), 1809-1884, Chapman, A. W. (Alvan Wentworth), 1809-1899, Curtis, M. A. (Moses Ashley), 1808-1872, Darlington, William, 1782-1863, Decaisne, Joseph, 1807-1882, Des Moulins, Charles, 1798-1875, Ducatel, Julius Timoleon, 1796-1849, Eaton, Daniel Cady, 1834-1895, Engelmann, George, 1809-1884, Frémont, John Charles, 1813-1890, Gay, Jacques Étienne, 1786-1864, Gray, Asa, 1810-1888, Hale, Josiah, approximately 1791-1856, Heermann, A. L. (Adolphus L.), Heubener, A. L., 1806-1870, Hilgard, Theod. C. (Theodore Charles), 1828-1875, Ives, J. C, James, Thomas Potts, 1803-1882, Jameson, William, 1796-1873, Jussieu, Antoine Laurent de, 1748-1836, Le Conte, John Eatton, 1784-1860, Lea, Thomas G. (Thomas Gibson), 1785-1844, Michaux, François André, 1770-1855, Nicollet, J. N. (Joseph Nicolas), 1786-1843, Nuttall, Thomas, 1786-1859, Parry, C. C. (Charles Christopher), 1823-1890, Peter, Robert, 1805-1894, Pickering, Charles, 1805-1878, Pope, John, 1822-1892, Rafinesque, C. S. (Constantine Samuel), 1783-1840, Riddell, John Leonard, 1807-1867, Ruschenberger, W. S. W. (William Samuel Waithman), 1807-1895, Short, Charles Wilkins, 1794-1863, Thouin, André, 1747-1824, Thurber, George, 1821-1890, Whipple, Amiel Weeks, 1817?-1863, Wilkes, Charles, 1798-1877, Williamson, R. S. (Robert Stockton), 1824-1882, Wolle, Christian Jacob, 1788-1863, Woodhouse, S. W. (Samuel Washington), 1821-1904, Wray, Thomas Jarram, 1781-1851, Wright, Charles, 1811-1885, Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, American Philosophical Society, Philadelphia College of Pharmacy (1822-1921), United States Exploring Expedition (1838-1842), United States Pacific Railroad Expeditions and Surveys

Collection: nybgtorrey; biodiversity; NY_Botanical_Garden

Digitizing sponsor: NEH PW-234827-16

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

Language: English

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

Correspondence from Elias Durand (born Elie Magloire Durand in Mayenne, France) to John Torrey, dated 1832-1866. Durand and Torrey's correspondence begins with a formal letter from Durand, who was corresponding secretary of the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, informing Torrey that he has been elected an honorary member of that organization. A month later an exchange of letters, specimens, and publications has begun, and Durand is encouraging Torrey to take on the task of a flora of the entire United States. For his part Durand is determined to compile a complete collection of North American specimens in his herbarium, with the ultimate goal of donating it to an institution in France: "I have not lost hope of retiring to my native country and when I do, I must be able to show them there the vegetable wealth of America." Unlike many of Torrey's correspondents, Durand is extremely understanding of Torrey's long letter-writing gaps: "I know too well how to appreciate your multifarious occupations, to impute your long silence to intentional neglect," he writes in 1839; when, after a particularly long silence Torrey sends a particularly extravagant "peace offering" of specimens with promises of more to come, Durand admonishes him, "Do not offer a new olive branch to one who has never ceased to cultivate in his bosom ... any other sentiments toward you but those of respectful friendship." Durand does a great deal of work recruiting subscribers to Torrey's Flora, passing on regular installments of money along with botanical questions and gossip. In later years Durand writes of his own publications with excitement, playfully referring to the Plantae Heermannianae as "Durand & Higard's botanical sport." Obsolete or disputed plant names mentioned include Asagraea, Brodiaea congesta, Carya buckleyi, Corylus rostrata, Deweya, Doichos pruriens, Durandia, Empetrum conradii, Gardoquia hookeri, Herpestis pilosa, Hosackia, Nuttallia cerasiformis, Obione, Oenothera biloba, Orthorrhiza, Phalangium aureum, Privos laevigatus, Seubertia laxa, Schoenolirion album, and Zauschneria

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 Elias Durand (born Elie Magloire Durand in Mayenne, France) to John Torrey, dated 1832-1866. Durand and Torrey's correspondence begins with a formal letter from Durand, who was corresponding secretary of the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, informing Torrey that he has been elected an honorary member of that organization. A month later an exchange of letters, specimens, and publications has begun, and Durand is encouraging Torrey to take on the task of a flora of the entire United States. For his part Durand is determined to compile a complete collection of North American specimens in his herbarium, with the ultimate goal of donating it to an institution in France: 'I have not lost hope of retiring to my native country and when I do, I must be able to show them there the vegetable wealth of America.' Unlike many of Torrey's correspondents, Durand is extremely understanding of Torrey's long letter-writing gaps: 'I know too well how to appreciate your multifarious occupations, to impute your long silence to intentional neglect,' he writes in 1839; when, after a particularly long silence Torrey sends a particularly extravagant 'peace offering' of specimens with promises of more to come, Durand admonishes him, 'Do not offer a new olive branch to one who has never ceased to cultivate in his bosom ... any other sentiments toward you but those of respectful friendship.' Durand does a great deal of work recruiting subscribers to Torrey's Flora, passing on regular installments of money along with botanical questions and gossip. In later years Durand writes of his own publications with excitement, playfully referring to the Plantae Heermannianae as 'Durand & Higard's botanical sport.' Obsolete or disputed plant names mentioned include Asagraea, Brodiaea congesta, Carya buckleyi, Corylus rostrata, Deweya, Doichos pruriens, Durandia, Empetrum conradii, Gardoquia hookeri, Herpestis pilosa, Hosackia, Nuttallia cerasiformis, Obione, Oenothera biloba, Orthorrhiza, Phalangium aureum, Privos laevigatus, Seubertia laxa, Schoenolirion album, and Zauschneria.