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which will be sold in bloom; and, I believe, the best way with the stove plants will be to sell them in pairs, or so many in a lott together. Take care of your health, that you may live long and happy. I am very truly,

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On Friday last, I received Scheuchzer's Herbarium Diluvianum, and, the day after, your letter. Where the booke has layn thus long I cannot learn, though I received it very safe. I am very much obliged to you for this and all your other former favours: 'tis a very speciouse booke. I have only had time to dip into it. I find my old friend, Lhwyd, is often accused in it,' especially in relation

1 Scheuchzer's remarks upon Lhwyd are certainly very severe, and are expressed in a coarseness of language that cannot but be regarded as reprehensible. Lhwyd was a man to whom the science was infinitely indebted; however erroneous, or even absurd, his theories may be considered. He, himself, combated others, certainly not less absurd, on the part of Plott; and he led the way to our present more

to Lithophyts; and I think in some places undeservedly. He finds fault with him for affirming, that most of the minerall leaves are less than those they represent. I must own I found it so in our colepitts; but an exact likeness of any one plant, upon due comparison, I never yet met with; though our colepitts (as long as they were continued, which was for three or four years) afforded plenty, especially Capillarys. It seems a little odd that Capillarys should be brought out of the Indies to leave their impresses with us; whereas Scheuchzer owns that the formes of fishes, found in stone in his country, are of such as their rivers and lakes afford. The representation of fishes in Langius seems to be much less than the life; and that of a flounder, in Lithophyta, in which he gives you the figure of one of the largest; and some he observed no longer than the seeds of Coweparsnep, which, indeed, are very small, compared with any real fishes I know of; but I wil give you no farther trouble about this subject at present.

We have had no person inoculated for the small-pox here since April last, when two children out of three underwent the operation, and had the distinct kind very favourably. The third, about

perfect, though far from really perfect, knowledge of these fossil bodies. His idea was, that they were produced from the semina of fishes, &c. raised by vapours from the sea, and conveyed by the clouds and rain through the crevices into the internal parts of the earth.

two months after, was seized with the same distemper, but of a malignant confluent kind, attended with convulsion, which in seven days' time tooke off the child: this seems to have created a more favourable oppinion of inoculation here, than was formerly received.

If I meet with any thing here, which I think worth acquainting you with, you may be assured of a line from,

Your much obliged servant,

RIC. RICHARDSON.

LETTER LXXVI.

Dr. Sherard to Dr. Richardson.

DEAR SIR,

LONDON, April 6th, 1723.

I was in hopes of answering your kind letter last week, and sending you some cones of Cedar of Libanus, with the three pounds of tea, sent yesterday-was-sennight by Mrs. Allason, but cou'd not get them out of the Custom-House time enough; so was forc'd to put it off till yesterday, when they went in a small box by Hall, the carrier, directed to B. Bartlett.'-I saw Mr. Thoresby at the Society 1 Benjamin Bartlett, whose name frequently occurs in these letters, was a Surgeon at Bradford. His son of the same name, who was also a medical man, removed to London. He was much ac

last week and this, who desir'd a cone for a specimen: I told him I shou'd send some to you, and that you wou'd give him one: however, if you'll sow them all, I can furnish him, having a good quantity.

I should be very glad Cheviot hills were search'd before the new edition of Ray's Synopsis is printed; but my brother seems resolv'd to take a turn thro' France and Italy this summer, and to be back by winter. I am confident several additions might be made in a journey to Cheviot hills, they never having been search'd but superficially. I hope the Subularia will flower with you this summer, that we may have a cutt of it. Bulbosa Alpina,2 &c. seems pretty strong in my brother's garden; but I question whether it will flower this year. I had a letter this week from Mr. Dale, who promises the next to send another parcel of English plants. Dillenius has almost finish'd the mosses, &c.; and I

quainted with coins, with which, and with books, he frequently supplied Dr. Richardson, to whom he was a regular correspondent. Elizabeth, the daughter of the elder B. Bartlett, married Henry Gurney of Norwich, the son of that John Gurney, whose portrait was engraved in 1720, accompanied with ships sailing and sheep feeding, in memory of the services he rendered to the trade and manufactures of his native city. Their only son, Bartlett Gurney, Esq. F.S.A. was an eminent Banker in Norwich, and once offered himself, though in vain, as candidate for the representation of the city. He died about thirty years ago. Of their six daughters, two are still living-Mrs. Aggs and Mrs. Cockfield.

2 Anthericum serotinum, L.

have enter'd your's, my brother's, and Mr. Doody's; and I design to do the same by Mr. Buddle's, Petiver's, Plukenet's, &c. next week. My brother copied Mr. Doody's Observations on the Synopsis,3 for his own use: 'twas in the hands of Mr. Petiver, and I suppose now in Sir Hans's, where all things center. You know how exact and diligent a botanist he was, for which reason I have enter'd almost all his queries, (which are generally of plants about London) that the new set of botanists may go to the places mention'd, and examine them: had I time I wou'd do it myself. Catalogues of countrys must be perfected by time and different persons; and, shou'd not these queries be publish'd, we shou'd not so easily come to satisfaction about them.

I thank you for the mosses, some of which I have pasted on: your two guineas are remitted to Sigre Micheli in your name. I wonder I don't hear from him. Scheuchzer's Itinera Alpina are printed, but not yet come over.

I'le let you know by next, if I go to Holland, where I shou'd be glad to do you any service. I find Sir Hans Sloane has a mind to Kiggelaer's collection of dry'd plants; but he says he will not

3 Respecting Dr. James Sherard's copy of Ray's Synopsis, see Note, p. 138.

4 Regarding this collection, see Sherard's letter, p. 199. He had mentioned it to Richardson in a former letter, dated February 23rd; and he there told him of the death of Dr. Kiggelaer, and the intention

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