LETTER CXLVIII.

Dr. Gronovius to Dr. Richardson.

September 2nd, 1738.

DEAR SIR,

Mr. Hudig acquainting me of the occasion of a ship ready to go to Hull, I endeavour to perform your orders in your letter of the 22nd of July. Dr. Boerhaave is, since my late letter, so well recover'd, that he walks every day in his garden, and liketh to see a friend; being the hydrops and all other inconveniences are quite gone. Yea, there is a report that he drinketh wine, and intends to give Colleges himself.

You see here a Camfer-Tree, the best I could get; and a dousin roots of the Double Tuberoses.

The Laurus Aldini is not to be got; but Haze hath put in somme layers, which, if maketh roots, will be good trees the next year.

You see here the rest of all Linnæus his work, wherein you will see a great deal of learning and curious observations, though most of your "Liefhabbers" of botany doth not like his method, and particularly his Critica. But the reason is, that they not understand him; particularly some of his characters, of which a great many are illustrated by examples, to be found in Hortus Cliffortianus.

I assure you, Sir, that, by his way only, I could bring severall of your Virginia plants to their genera; which, till this very day, could not be determined to a Classis, as you shall see in the Flora Virginica, which will go to the press, as soon as the Hortus Cliffortianus is published, expecting them every day. I shall do my utmost to persuade Mr. Cliffort to sell some copy of his Hortus: else I don't know how to get one, except that way I write before.

1 The name of George Cliffort, the rich Dutch Banker, is so connected with that of Linnæus, that it cannot but be interesting to know some part of the history of their intercourse, especially as given in the Diary of Linnæus himself; according to which, their first acquaintance arose from Cliffort's accidentally meeting Linnæus at the house of Burmann, the Professor of Botany at Amsterdam, and inviting him to go and see his magnificent garden at Hartekamp, about three miles from Haerlem. Soon after, at the recommendation of Boerhaave, Cliffort engaged him to reside there; and, to use his own words, "with him he lived like a Prince, had one of the finest gardens in the world under his inspection, obtained permission to procure all the plants that were wanted for the garden, and such books as were not to be found in the library, and of course enjoyed all the advantages he could wish for in his Botanical labours, to which he devoted himself day and night." During this residence, he printed the Flora Lapponica, and various other works, as well as the Hortus Cliffortianus; and, by the aid of his munificent patron, he made his journey to England, and secured the manuscripts of his friend, Artedi, which had been seized by his landlord for a debt, when the author was unfortunately drowned in one of the canals at Amsterdam. With Cliffort he lived two years, treated by him as his own son, and receiving from him a handsome salary, I believe a ducat a day; besides having the liberty of going when he pleased to Leyden to hear Boerhaave, and having always a coach and four at his command in the streets of Amsterdam, with numerous other advantages.

I send you also two copyes of Albinus de Vasis Intestinorum and de Cute; but I find that, in the bookseller's shop, are still three other pieces of that kind, of which I send you each a copye. If you want more, I can send them with the second volume of Swammerdam, which I hear will bee printed in a month's time. These pieces with colours grow dearer every day: I don't know for what reason. Writing these, I send to Van der Aa to get the first volume of Swammerdam. He is so kind to send me the second too; with a little note, in which he says that, however they don't yet distribute the second volume, he, notwithstanding, send it here next, and made his excuse that the second volume is grown so thick, far much beside we hath thought, which is eleven gilders, five stuyvers; so we see how we are impos'd by subscriptions. I send you his own paper, and his quitance for the whole work of Van Swammerdam: vid. sixteen gilders, five stuyvers. You see also the Thesaurus

But the climate of Holland would not allow him to remain in the country. -The end of my story is a sad one: Cliffort became a bankrupt: his library and collections fell into other hands; the herbarium into those of Gaubius; at whose decease, it passed into the possession of Sir Joseph Banks for a sum of about £25,-and then Hartekamp also was sold. My daughter and myself, last year, (1833) visited this splendid mansion, now in the possession of a most obliging and accomplished lady, Madame Brandt, and was by her shown the grounds and gardens; where nothing of Linnæus or Cliffort remains, except the Tulip-Tree planted by the former, which few travellers visit without bringing away some of its leaves as relics. "The Pilgrim who journeys all day," &c. &c.

Zeylanicus; Artedii Historia Piscium by Linnæus; Linnai Flora Lapponica; Critica; Characteres; Corollarium; and Methodus Sexualis; Bibliotheca and Fundamenta Botanica; for which all I payd twenty-four gilders. These books of Linnæus go very well off, and will bee scarce in a short time. I beg pardon that I could not send Burmanni Decades, which I confess is my own fault, having quite forgot it, like the Commelin's Plantæ Rariores et Exoticæ. I shall remember them at another time. Verbeck doth not remember any thing of the book of buildings and ruins that Mortier printed. I intend before winter to go to Amsterdam, when I shall enquire myself about it.

You see here Lawson's Dissertation.-He is come yesterday in town, and intends to go tomorrow with the sloop to England.

The executors and children of Seba are still in great controversy one with another: they involved one another with so many lawshuts, that I believe that book will never come out: two volumes are come out, which come about one hundred gilders or a little more, having the exact price fortget. The first volume is very well done; but, when I saw the second volume, I immediately sold my subscription paper and the first volume for a ducate loss; being very glad I have saved at least ninety gilders, or there about. If I remember well, the price of a coloured one would come to

five hundred gilders. There are surely severall fine things in it, but everywhere "sunt mala mixta bonis." There are severall common things in it, which don't deserve to be named; and so much lesser they should be brought in figure. I think, at an occasion in a public auction, the two volumes. may be got for fifty gilders.-I have not been at Seeland, because, few days before I should go, my son got the meazels: then my wife, and then my daughter and maids; I only, with my footman, being free. I thank God this storm is over. There is no Catalogue of any consequence; but there will bee one of Van der Aa and that of Fabricius, which I shall send you as soon they are printed.

I hope, Sir, I have executed your orders according to your mind, except the two books, which I quite fortgot, for which I beg pardon.

I am, dear SIR,

Your most obedient humble servant,

JOH. FRED. GRONOVIUS.

SIR,

LETTER CXLIX.

Sir John Kaye

Dr. Dillenius to Dr. Richardson.

OXON., December 7th, 1738.

YOUR son, Henry, told me this summer

of furzes being made use of instead of tanners' bark,