1834 Jane Porter original letter VENEZUELAN HEIR for bishop's ancient TORTOISE

Description: PRINTS BOOKS PHOTOGRAPHS MANUSCRIPTS CURIOSITIES - A SUCCESSOR FOR PETERBOROUGH CATHEDRAL'S ANCIENT TORTOISE ARRIVES FROM VENEZUELA -PORTER (Jane, Scottish historical novelist, 1776-1850); [PORTER (Sir Robert Ker, Scottish artist, author, diplomat and traveller, 1777-1842); MARSH (Herbert, English cleric who from 1819-1839 was Bishop of Peterborough, 1757-1839); ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF REGENT'S PARK (governing body of the world's first zoological gardens, today known as London Zoo. Opened in London in 1828, and originally intended to be used as a collection for scientific study. It was opened to the public in 1847)].Fascinating original handwritten letter from Scottish novelist Jane Porter to a representative of the Zoological Society at Regent's Park referring to a shipment of exotic animals sent by her brother Sir Robert - the noted painter and travel writer - including a 'Land Tortoise' intended as a replacement for the ancient tortoise that had recently died in the Bishop of Peterborough's gardens, and with her instructions on packing the tortoise comfortably for its journey north, May 1834. Original handwritten letter, written in dark brown ink across 2 sides of a sheet of off-white wove paper. Addressed from 'Portland Square, Bristol.' and dated 'May 15th 1834.' Headed to 'Sir' and signed at bottom of last page 'Jane Porter'. Size: 4to (23cm x 18.5cm).Very Good condition. Old folds for mailing. Tiny chip to one corner with no loss of text. Light age-toning to paper. Light browning visible to outer edge on one side of the sheet. Please ask if you require a more detailed condition report, or view gallery images closely.This fascinating letter from Scottish historical novelist Jane Porter to a representative of the Zoological Society of Regent's Park, in London, concerns a shipment of exotic animals sent by her brother, the noted painter, travel writer and at the date of this letter British consul in Venezuela, Sir Robert Ker Porter. "I have just received a letter from my brother Sir R. Ker Porter, brought by the Brigantine Pedraza... He informs me that Vepel brought from him to the Zoological Society of Regent's Park a capuchin monkey, a grey weazel, and other animals. - amongst which, he added was a Land Tortoise - intended by him as a present to the Bishop of Peterborough: to replace in his garden there the old tortoise now dead, which (it is said,) had existed in that garden for several centuries..." Porter then passes along instructions on packing the tortoise comfortably, and asks the recipient if it would be alright if the bishop contact him directly to say "how he wishes the animal to be forwarded." "My brother requested me to require of your obligingness to "pack up the tortoise in a basket with straw, and so as to have air - and then send it down to the Bishop of Peterborough by coach."She later notes: "I expect to be in town myself later this month... when I shall hasten to the zool: gardens to see the capuchin monkey, and the other poor things after their long voyage. - The capuchin was a great pet of my brother's...".Kernoozers Ltd has found out that the original ancient tortoise (for which the tortoise sent by Sir Robert was intended as a replacement) was taxidermied after its death and is now preserved at the Peterborough deanery estate in a glass case for posterity. Its current owners kindly provided the attached photograph of the tortoise and the following description:-- "Per the attached document the tortoise died in 1831 at the ripe old age of about 220 years (which would date its birth to around 1611 on that basis).It spent its life in the Deanery grounds, and after death in a wooden case in The Deanery, as the property of the Bishop. A time came when a Dean did not want it displayed in his residence and, after our purchase of The Deanery in 2018 (now The Old Deanery), we managed to track it down to a cupboard in the Chapter Offices where it had rested for some time in a rather forlorn state with a cracked case, covered in rather a lot of dust.It was returned to its former home on a long term loan to us from the Bishop, and after we paid for the restoration of the case, and a general clean (which has to be done with care as it was apparently preserved using arsenic), it was kindly gifted to us by the Bishop, and is now reunited with its former home being displayed in pride of place." -- key words:

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Location: Ascot

End Time: 2024-12-01T15:27:57.000Z

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