"Sir Hans has furnished me with seven other volumes of Pluknett's plants, by which we have cleared his dubiouse and not-known English plants. -I hope he will continue to let me see Petiver's rubbish; that I may adjust his Synonymes, which is all I now want, having entred all the authors I have seen.

"Dr. Dillenius expected to hear from Mr. Brewer, and to see his collection, which he hopes he shall, as soon as you and he have adjusted them. 'My brother came to town, at my request, on Thursday, to vote for Sir Hans, which I tooke very kindly of him. He has been ill this six weekes past, but is got pretty well again. My service to Mr. Brewer (when you see him) and Dr. Dillenius, who sent him a letter last post from his lady:"-thus far the Consul.

I have, for three or four days by-past, been very busy in putting together some scatter'd remarks I formerly made upon birds that breed with us, relating to their nests, eggs, &c., which may be of use, if any person hereafter should undertake a new edition of Willoughby's Ornithology. I pickt up here last year six or seven birds, which are not frequently met with, and sent the cases to Sir Hans Sloane. I have already got four cases of the duck kind, which are rarely found with us; and I hope, by the interest I have made with persons who furnish this market with fowle, to make a considerable addition to them, before I leave this place.

LETTER CVIII.

Mr. Brewer to Dr. Richardson.

January 2nd, 1727-28.

HONOUR'D SIR,

I was very glad to hear of all your good healths by Mr. Hill, who brought me your favour of the 14th ult. last past. I receiv'd a letter from Dr. Dillenius, part of which I shall transcribe, viz. "I am glad to hear that Dr. R. is about making his observations and additions to the Synopsis: there is mistakes, especially about places. I desire to put the time of flowering to all the plants, and that you would do the same to the Welch plants that you intend to send to me. If you have an opportutunity to write to Dr. R., pray give my humble service to him, and say that I hope it will not be too great a trouble to him to mark the time of flowering of those plants that he hath put in of his own. There hath been a great quarrel and misunderstanding between some of the Council of the Society and Sir Hans; and they put up Mr. Foulkes for a new president: this made Sir Hans and the Consul to be friends again; and he hath communicated to him severall things since-I wish it may hold long. As to Martyn publishing descriptions and figures of the new plants about London, I believe this hath been underhand and

carried on for some time past-Miller, I take to be the chief contriver; for Martyn does not know a Nettle from a Dock. They have gone every where about Mr. Sherard's correspondence; and, what they could not procure at second-hand, they have got by the third. I could write more of this than the paper will hold. Had I but time, I would soon put a stop to all this business: however, I do hope I shall save Mr. Sherard's new plants, and my labour bestowed upon them, and disappoint them and all their encouragers. As to the Pinax, we have enter'd almost all authors; but to put it in order and write it fair, will require some years still." Mr. Currer and his lady were at church here last Sunday. Mr. Ferrand asked me to go into the inn with them; when Mr. Currer was so kind as to invite me to go to his house, and see what I can find in that country; but I shall avoid every thing that will be attended with an expense. I know not

1 The disparaging manner in which Dillenius here speaks of Martyn is both painful and extraordinary; for Martyn had before this time gained a Botanical reputation by his publications, and had some years previously been brought into close connection with Dillenius, with whom he had co-operated in forming a society of naturalists, which consisted of seventeen members, and kept together till the year 1726. The cause, I fear, is to be sought in Dillenius' unfortunate temper, and in that proverbial jealousy, by which Και κεραμευς κεραμει φθονέει, και TEKTOVI TEKTWV.—See more on this subject in Rauthmell's letter of October 11th, 1731; and also see Dr. James Sherard's of September 18th, 1731, by which it appears that Dillenius was then at variance with Brewer.

the consequence of this till M. return, which filleth me with many anxious and gloomy thoughts, and quite cloudeth me. I have no power to set about any thing that will take up much time, which has hindered my sending my plants to London. Nothing now will divert my melancholy thoughts but the beauty and variety of the Mosses that I find in the fields; so that 'tis almost as bad as death to be confined within doors, as the snow for some time has done. And here I was diverted very pleasantly from writing, by the arrival of the two young gentlemen, your sons, which I took very kindly. They present their duty and service; and this minute I received a very obliging letter from Dr. French, who tells me they often remember me in their cupps, though a water-drinker; and desireth me to let you know, that he thinks himself very much obliged to you for your present of plants, which all seem to thrive, and giveth you his humble service and sincere and hearty thanks; and so doth,

Honoured SIR,

Him that is your most obedient servant,

SAMUEL BREWER.

LETTER CIX.

Dr. Dillenius to Dr. Richardson.

DEAR SIR,

LONDON, January 30th, 1727–8.

I receiv'd both your kind letters in due time, and delivered the inclosed money presently to Consul Sherard. I find meeself extreamly obliged, and give you many thanks for communication of your observations and additions to the Synopsis, which I shall take care to enter and to preserve; and, since you give me leave, and promise to give me an account of the time of flowering of other plants, I have drawn up a list of most of the northern plants, and left room to put the month down, to save the trouble of writing it over. I should not have made it so large, was not Mr. Ray deficient in this, even in his History. I might have left out several of them, which I have seen either abroad or in gardens here; but, thinking the time of flowering in the native place, in the north, might somewhat differ from what they do abroad or about London, I indulged myself of making it too large; though I do not design to give you the trouble of putting the time down of all of them, but only of such as occur easily to your mind and remembrance.