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THUNBERG, Carl Peter (1743-1828). Letter in French to 'Monsieur' (probably Caspar Georg Carl Reinwardt (1773-1854), at the time hortulanus of the Leiden Hortus Botanicus), Uppsala 23 Jan. 1828. 1 fold. leaf, r° & v°, signed.
Interesting letter in which Thunberg lists animals which he would like to add to his museum's collection. After a visit to Holland some wealthy Dutch merchants offered Thunberg the finances to make an exploration tour to the East Indies and Japan, in order to bring back living plants and seeds, suited for the climate in Holland. After a sojourn at the Cape of Good Hope, from where he travelled over a large part of South Africa (1772-75), he sailed for Batavia and there joined the Dutch embassy to the Imperial Court at Tokyo. On the voyage home he passed half a year in Java, and seven months in Ceylon, before returning to Europe. In April 1779 he returned to Stockholm, and became Ordinary Professor at Uppsala in 1784, as successor to Linnaeus.€ 200
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