Andreas and Joseph Planta, FF.R.S

Andreas and Joseph Planta, FF.R.S.Author(s): G. R. de BeerSource: Notes and Records of the Royal Society of London, Vol. 10, No. 1 (Oct., 1952), pp. 8-14Published by: The Royal SocietyStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/531074 .

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8

ANDREAS AND JOSEPH PLANTA, FF.R.S.

By G. R. DE BEER, F.R.S.

[Plate I]

T HERE cannot have been many Fellows of the Royal Society who could claim descent from families known to be living at the time of

the Emperor Claudius, but such is the case with Andreas Planta and his son Joseph. If this statement should appear extravagant, it may be of interest to give a brief account of the evidence on which it is based.

At the village of Cles in South Tyrol, on the road from Trento to the Tonale Pass, there was found in I869 a large bronze tablet bearing the inscription of an edict of the Emperor Claudius of the year A.D. 46, the text of which is as follows 1:

M. IVNIO SILANO Q. SVLPICIO CAMERINO COS. IDIBVS MARTIS BAIS IN PRETORIO EDICTVM. TI. CLAVDI CAESARIS AVGVSTI GERMANICI PROPOSITVM FVIT ID QVOD INFRA SCRIPTVM EST TI. CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVGVSTVS GERMANICVS PONT. MAXIM. TRIB. POTEST. VI IMP. XI P. P. COS. DESIGNATVS IIII DICIT CVM EX VETERIBVS CONTROVERSIS PE(ND)ENTIBVS ALIQVAMDIV ETIAM TEMPORIBVS TI. CAESARIS PATRVI MEI AD QVAS ORDINANDAS PINARIVM APOLLINAREM MISERAT QVAE TANTVM MODO INTER COMENSES ESSENT QVANTVM MEMORIA REFERO ET BERGALEOS ISQVE PRIMVM APSENTIA PERTINACI PATRVI MEI DEINDE ETIAM GAI PRINCIPATV QVOD AB EO NON EXIGEBATVR REFERRE NON STVLTE QVIDEM NEGLEXSERIT ET POSTEAC DETVLERIT CAMVRIVS STATVTVS AD ME AGROS PLEROSQVE ET SALTVS MEI IVRIS ESSE IN REM PRAESENTEM MISI PLANTAM IVLIVM AMICVM ET COMITEM MEVM QVI CVM ADHIBITIS PROCVRATORIBVS MEIS QV(I)QVE IN ALIA REGIONE QVIQVE IN VICINIA ERANT

1 Thanks are due to Mr Bernard Ashmole of the British Museum for his kindness in checking this inscription.



Plate I

JOSEPH PLANTA, F.R.S.

From the engraving by C. Picart after a drawing by H. Edridge. By kind permission of the Trustees of the British Museum.

(Facing page 8)



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SVMMA CVRA INQVISIERIT ET COGNOVERIT CETERA

QVIDEM VT MIHI DEMONSTRATA COMMENTARIO FACTO AB IPSO SVNT STATVAT PRONVNTIETQVE IPSI PERMITTO QVOD AD CONDICIONEM ANAVNORVM ET TVLLIASSIVM ET SINDVNORVM PERTINET QVORVM PARTEM DELATOR ADTRIBVTAM TRIDENTINIS PARTEM NE ADTRIBVTAM QVIDEM ARGVISSE DICITVR TAM ETSI ANIMADVERTO NON NIMIVM FIRMAM ID GENVS HOMINVM HABERE CIVITATIS ROMANAE ORIGINEM TAMEN CVM LONGA VSVRPATIONE IN POSSESSIONEM EIVS FVISSE DICATVR ET ITA PERMIXTVM CVM TRIDENTINIS VT DIDVCI AB IS SINE GRAVI SPLENDI(DI) MVNICIPI INIVRIA NON POSSIT PATIOR EOS IN EO IVRE IN

QVO ESSE SE EXISTIMAVERVNT PERMANERE BENIFICIO MEO EO QVIDEM LIBENTIVS QVOD PLER(I)QVE EX EO GENERE HOMINVM ETIAM MILITARE IN PRAETORIO MEO DICVNTVR

QVIDAM VERO ORDINES QVOQVE DVXISSE NON NVLLI

(A)LLECTI IN DECVRIAS ROMAE RES IVDICARE QVOD BENIFICIVM IS ITA TRIBVO VT QUAECVNQVE TANQVAM CIVES ROMANI GESSERVNT EGERVNTQVE AVT INTER SE AVT CVM TRIDENTINIS ALISVE RAT(A) ESSE

IVBEA(M) NOMINAQVE EA QVAE HABVERVNT ANTEA TANQVAM CIVES ROMANI ITA HABERE IS PERMITTAM

The gist of this was that ever since the days of the Emperor Tiberius, it was known to the imperial government that in the southern valleys of the Alps of Rhaetia certain territories had become alienated from their

rightful owners. This was particularly the case in connexion with the

boundary between the province of Como and the Val Bregaglia, in order to settle which problems Tiberius had in his day sent Pinarius Apollinaris. No report had however been demanded either by Tiberius or his successor Gaius, and none had been furnished. After Claudius had acceded to the

purple, he was told that many matters were still outstanding in those parts and in the district of Trento, and accordingly he sent his friend and coun- sellor Julius Planta, a member of his staff, to investigate and settle these matters ; a task which he accomplished with great success.

It is clear that the Planta family had already achieved great distinction in those days. Another member, Lucius Avilius Planta, is commemorated in an inscription of A.D. 90 in Rome. Another again was governor in Asia Minor under Vespasian and is commemorated in a Greek inscription



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at Balbura in Pisidia. Pompejus Planta, a friend of the Emperor Trajan, was governor in Egypt, and is often mentioned in the Emperor's corres-

pondence with Pliny (Epistles IX, I; and Io X, 7). Yet another Pompejus Planta was a historian in the second century who, according to Probus, wrote on the war between Otho and Vitellius, and is mentioned in Justus Lipsius' Commentaries on Tacitus (Book 2, note 23) and in the Scholia on Juvenal's Satires (II, Ios).

With the fall and the sack of Rome by the Goths and the Vandals in the fifth century, an iron curtain of darkness descended on the western world, but a corner of it was lifted for a brief moment in the following century, when Justinian succeeded for a time in re-occupying Rome. In a letter to his general, Narses, dated A.D. 565, the emperor deplored the fact that so many Roman families had fled from Rome to avoid the barbarians, with the result that the eternal city was deserted, and he added the interesting information that many of the leading families had taken refuge in Rhaetia. Indeed, no less than I20 members of the Ticiones had fled thither. If what the Emperor Justinian had to say was true, it is at least possible that the Plantas, whose forbear Julius had done such good work in those parts, were also among those refugees.

At all events, when the curtain is lifted again at the beginning of the twelfth century, the Plantas are found to be the leading people in the

Engadine, and so proud of their name that instead of taking the title of the

place, Zuoz, where they exercised their rights of high and low justice, and

calling themselves de Zuoz, they made their castle bear their name, which it does to this day as the Plantaturm.

It is generally considered that only in Rome, Ravenna and Venice have Roman surnames survived into modern times. The Germanic invaders had no surnames, and the spread of Christianity raised the importance and status of the Christian name. But in view of the evidence presented by Justinian, it must not be unexpected for Roman surnames to have survived in Rhaetia, or the Grisons as part of that region is now called. It is important to note in this connexion that the Grisons area has been subjected to no movements of peoples since Justinian's times.

The question is, therefore, whether the Plantas who are found in a

leading position in the Grisons in the early IIoo's can be regarded as descended from the RomanPlantas to whom these particular regions are known to have been familiar. Those who find it difficult to accept the gap of ten centuries in the succession, and who are therefore obliged to conclude that a different family appeared, of the same name, fulfilling the same functions,



II

in the same place, will have to be content with the unbroken succession of Plantas through twenty generations from the twelfth century until to-day. This succession is as follows:

Conrad Planta (mentioned 1139), Headman of the Upper Engadine where he held lands from the Bishop of Chur.

Rudolph Planta (1195), of Castelmur in the Val Bregaglia and of Reams in the Oberhalbstein (Julier Pass) valley.

Conrad Planta (I227), to whom were granted the rights of levying customs-dues in the Upper Engadine.

Andreas Planta (1244, 1288), who acted as Chancellor for the Bishop of Chur in the Upper Engadine.

Andreas Planta (1288, 1313), to whom were ascribed the rights of levying tithes, of mining, and of fishing in the Lakes of St Moritz, Silvaplana, and Sils, and of administering high and low justice.

Andreas Planta (I300, 1364), who married Bertha von Juval. Rudolf Planta (I358). Conrad Planta (1340), of Marmorera, who married a de Marmels. Ital Planta (1367, I4I0), who married Anna von Schauenstein. Hans Planta (1402, I436). Hartmann Planta (1440, I467); Captain of the Engadiners, who married

a von Juvalt. Theodosius Planta (I484-I527), of Lavin, Lower Engadine, who fought

at the battle of Calven in 1499 and married Magdalena von Fontana. Jacob Planta. Johann Hartmann Planta. Joseph Planta (1660, 1670), who married Ursula Saluz. Johann Pitschen Planta (1656-1733) who married Anna Cazin. Joseph Planta (1692-1729), who married Elisabeth Conrad of Fideris. Andreas Joseph Planta, F.R.S., who was bor n in 717 at Siis in the lower

Engadine, and in 1741 became pastor at Castasegna in the Val Bregaglia, on the frontier which Julius Planta had settled 1,700 years before. His parish was one of the very few surviving since the Counter-Reformation where an Italian-speaking population is Protestant, and Andreas Planta distinguished himself by producing an Italian version of the Psalms. In 1747 he showed his versatility by becoming Professor of Mathematics at Erlangen, and in 1753 he came to London as pastor to the German colony established here. He was employed as Assistant Librarian in the British Museum from 1758, became reader to Queen Charlotte, and on I5 March



12

1770 he was elected into the Fellowship of the Royal Society. His election certificate read as follows:

'Andrew Joseph Planta of the British Museum, M.A., & Minister of the German Reformed Church at the Savoy, a Gentleman of good learning, and well versed in natural knowledge, being desirous of becoming a member of the Royal Society; we recommend him, of our Personal acquaintance, as likely to be a valuable & useful member.'

This was signed by Greg. Sharpe, Gowin Knight, Henry Baker, J. De Salis, Jos: Ayloffe, Mat: Duane, C. Morton, S. Harper, M. Maty, Rd

Penneck, H. Putman, Josa. Kirby, Jn°. Bevis. Andreas Joseph Planta died in I773. Joseph Planta, son of Andreas Joseph Planta and his wife Margarete

Scartazzini Debolziani of Bondo, was born at Castasegna on Io February 1744, during his father's tenure of the pastorate there. He accompanied his father to Germany and spent some time at Bremen and at the University of Utrecht under Professor Saxius, before going to G6ttingen. After

coming to England he became Secretary to the Army Paymaster in 1762 and then Secretary to the British Minister in Brussels. In I765 he travelled on the continent as a tutor and was in Florence when he learned of his

promotion to the rank of Paymaster. Joseph Planta followed his father into the British Museum, and on his

father's death he became Assistant Librarian. On 17 February 1774 he was elected into the Fellowship of the Royal Society. His election certificate read as follows:

'Mr. Joseph Planta one of the Assistant Librarians to the British Museum, who during several years residence at foreign Universities pursued different Branches of Litterary Knowledge, and has particularly qualified himself in the Belles Lettres & Experimental Philosophy, being desirous to become a Fellow of the Royal Society-We the underwritten do of our own personal knowledge recommend him as worthy of that honour.'

This was signed by W. Watson, Geo: L. Scott, J. De Salis, C. Morton, S. Harper, Dan. Solander, Richd. Penneck, Daines Barrington, M. Maty, Henry Putman, H. J. de Salis, John Van Rixtel, Richard Paul Jodrell, G. Porter, John Paradise, and John James Majendie.

He was appointed Foreign Secretary of the Royal Society on 30 June 1774, and on 30 November 1776 he was appointed Secretary, a post which he held until I804.



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On the death of Charles Morton in I799 Joseph Planta became Principal Librarian of the British Museum, a post which he held until 1827. Although nearly a half century had elapsed since the Museum had been founded, its

organization was still far from perfect. At that time memories of the Gordon Riots were still vivid in many minds and the policy of public accession to the collections did not commend itself. As Edward Edwards wrote, 'under the influence of such memories as these, Mr. Planta had to

propose abolition of restrictions with a gentle and very gradual hand. He

began by improving the practice without at first greatly altering the rules.

By and by he brought, from time to time, before the Trust, suggestions for relaxations in the rules themselves.'

When he became Principal Librarian the number of persons admitted to the Reading Rooms was under 200; by 1820 it had increased to 515. Eventually Planta was successful in instituting a liberal regime for all the collections. Most important is the fact that although, as a man of letters, his personal tastes associated him most closely with the departments concerned with the liberal arts, he paid the greatest attention to the natural

history department. On his recommendation the Greville collections of Minerals were purchased in I8Io and the Monticelli collections in 1822.

Planta also deserves the merit of instituting the policy of publication, as well as accumulation of objects of interest, as one of the chief duties of the British Museum. He also started the compilation of the Catalogues, both of the Printed Books and of the Manuscripts.

In the Philosophical Transactions for the year 1776 (Volume 66) Joseph Planta published ' An Account of the Romansh Language ', which presents many features of interest. He noticed that while many other languages in time undergo easily demonstrable evolutions, Romansh as a written

language had not altered from the time of the earliest manuscripts to his

day. Indeed, Planta was able to show that as a language, Romansh goes back even farther into the past. In the year A.D. 842 the grandsons of

Charlemagne swore an oath at Strasbourg for the maintenance of peace in

Europe, and it is known that Lewis the Germanic swore his oath in Romance in order that it might be understood by the subjects of his brother, Charles the Bald of France. The remarkable thing is that this oath in Romance as written in A.D. 842 is almost identical with what the oath would be now, had it been sworn in Romansh.

In order to show the extent of this similarity, it may be of interest to reproduce the oath in Romance and in a version of Romansh, cited by Joseph Planta, involving both the Romansh dialects.



14

Oath in Romance by Lewis the Germanic for Charles the Bald-A.D. 842. Pro Deu amur, et pro Christian poblo, et nostro commun salvament,

d'ist di in avant, in quant Deus savir et podir me dunat si salvarai io cist meon fradre Karlo, et in adjudah er in cadhuna cosa, si cum om per dreit son fradre salvar dist, in o quid il me altresi fazet; et ab Ludher nul plaid nunquam prindrai qui meon vol cist meon fradre Karle in damno sit.

Romansh (in a combination of both dialects). Pro l'amur da Deus, et pro il Christian pobel, et nost commun salvament,

d'ist di en avant, in quant Deus savir et podir m'dunat shi salvaro io quist meu frad'r Carl, et in adjudh faro in caduna cosa, si cor om per drett seu frad'r salvar dess, in que chel me altresi fazess; et da Lothar nul plaid mai non prendro che con meu voler a quist meu frad'r Carl in damn sia.

On 3 December 1827, The English Courrier of that date published the

following notice:

'We regret to announce the death of Joseph Planta, Esquire, Principal Librarian of the British Museum. It took place in that establishment at Io this morning.'

No account of Joseph Planta would be complete without a mention of his son. Planta had married Elizabeth Atwood, and young Joseph Planta was born on 2 July 1787. He became a registrar at the Foreign Office and acted as secretary to Canning from 1807 to I809, and then to Castlereagh from 1813 to I815 at the all-important Congresses of Chatillon, Paris and Vienna. After each fall of Napoleon, it was he who conveyed the Allies'

peace proposals to the British Government. From 1817 to 1827 he was an

Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign Office, in which period he became Member of Parliament for Hastings. He married Charlotta Augusta Oom, nee Papendiek, but left no children, so that when he died on 25 April 1847, this particular line of the Planta family became extinct, and England lost a man who had conferred upon the British Government the distinction of

having included at least a reputed Roman.

REFERENCES

Mommsen, T., ' Edict des Kaisers Claudius', Hermes, 4, Berlin, 1870. Moor, C. von., Genealogie der Familie von Planta, p.p., Chur, 1873. Planta, P., Chronik der Familie von Planta, Zurich, I892.



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Andreas and Joseph Planta, FF.R.S