III - Note on the Provenance of Richardson’s Copybook of the Cheyne Correspondence

Summary

LaingMss III, 356 formed part of the large collection of manuscripts bequeathed to Edinburgh University Library by the Scottish librarian, editor and bibliophile David Laing (1793–1878). From his youth Laing, the son of an Edinburgh bookseller, was an avid collector of historical documents but at the time of his death his manuscript collection was in considerable disarray and he does not appear to have left any record of when or where he obtained particular items. However, a number of inscriptions on the opening flyleaf provide some fragmentary clues for tracing the line of provenance prior to Laing's ownership.

A note in faded ink reading ‘Dr. Cheyne: MSS’ near the top left hand corner of the flyleaf is in Richardson's hand. In the top right hand corner there is the lower part of a barely legible inscription which has suffered some cropping. This concludes with a signature ending ‘W. Turner’. Below this partial signature appears the following note, apparently in the same hand: ‘Bought at the sale of Dr Sigmond's Library Dec. 8. 1806 (No: 762, 3rd day).’ Immediately below this, in a different hand, appears the name ‘John Dillon’, followed by this biographical and editorial note:

Dr George Cheyne born in Scotland 1670 (Dr. John Cheyne afterwards celebrated, was a descendant of his). G. C. was author of several works “An Essay of Health and Long Life” – “On Gout” in reference to the Bath waters. “The Theory of Fevers”, “Philos’l Principles of religion” and a work on the Fluxions which purchased his admission to the Royal Society. He became extremely corpulent and his remedies remind us of the recent case (1862) of Banting. This volume is a curious one not easy to be understood. It contains copies of his letters to Samuel Richardson to whom he wrote in a double capacity as his patient & his publisher. See the memo at the beginning – that at the end is either by him, or a nephew of his. The letters contain some curious matter both medical & literary. Much information about Richardson <& his family & his malady>. See Letter, year 1742, April 19 July, 14 Oct 12 June 6 1740, Feb 12, 1740>