(who is the same that has publish'd Pindar and Horace) has written an account of the book to Dr. Sloane, which is to be inserted in the Philosophical Transactions, either now in the press or just printed. Scheuchzer's Iter. Alpinum will be, as I am told, published in a week or two. I have but just time to save the post, when I have subscrib'd myself,

Most honour'd SIR,

Your ever oblig'd humble servant,

EDW. LHWYD.

LETTER XXXVIII.

Mr. Lhwyd to Dr. Richardson.

HONOURED SIR,

OXFORD, October 8th, 1708.

THIS hopes to find you in perfect health, and brings you the humble and hearty respects of an old friend.—I writ to you some months since, and sent, as I remember, some of Mr. Baxter's letters with it, but perhaps you never receiv'd either; W. Baxter. For myself, though just arrived at the age of sixty, I well remember how much I was indebted, as a school-boy, to his excellent edition of Horace, which still preserves its high character, notwithstanding the recent labours of Doering and so many others. The paper here alluded to on Mr. Lhwyd's work appeared in No. 311 of the Philosophical Transactions.

tho', if you did, there was nothing that requir'd any answer, further than that I should be glad to hear of your health. You would oftener hear from me, but that I seldom have any thing worth writeing. Those papers should have come by Mr. Nevill, junior, who, altering his design of goeing into the countrey, told me, some time after, that he had sent them by another hand. I had before that another disappointment of sending you an account of Scheuchzer's Itinera Alpina,' having receiv'd it from Dr. Thorpe, the publisher, in quires, some time before 'twas published. In the mean time I had letters from Dr. Thorpe and Dr. Robinson,2 to desire me to draw up an account of it in my own name, to be inserted in the Phil. Transactions; upon which I review'd the book, and made it much larger, Dr. Robinson acquainting me they wanted materials very much for their Transactions: so I suppose they'll print it in the next. The Doctor

1 The first edition of this very instructive and entertaining work, containing three of his tours, was published this year at the expense of the Royal Society: the editor, Dr. John Thorpe, was a Physician at Rochester, and author of several works connected with the History and Antiquities of that City, where he died 1750. An account of him is given in the Literary Anecdotes, ш. p. 509. Of Scheuchzer himself, Haller tells us, in his Bibliotheca Botanica, that he was "Physices universe, Geodesiæ, et Historiæ studiosus: vir laboris indefessi."

2 The Dr. Robinson here alluded to was, most probably, Dr. Tancred Robinson, who was Physician to George I., and wrote several papers for the Royal Society.

tells me that Mr. Buddle hath drawn up a new Synopsis Plant. Brit.; but that he doubts whether he can get it printed ;3 tho' he supposes it a very considerable improvement of Mr. Ray's, who, he says, wanted many things to compleat his. He adds that he improves the method by the help of Tournefort, Rivinus, &c. and that he often refers to figures and corrects vicious ones.

Mr. Ray's observations upon English insects, &c. are lately given to the Royal Society; as also some other fragments observ'd in England and abroad, as inscriptions, descriptions of animals, minerals, &c. which 'tis hoped they'll soon publish. I had news last post that Langius's Historia Lapidum Figuratorum Helvetia was just come to London; but as yet onely two copies, directed for me, one whereof I am to send to the Royal Society. Mr. Dyer and Mr. Bobart are well and hearty. few lines at your leasure would be exceeding wellcome. The first thing I design to publish will be only an 8vo. in Latin, containing an account of the method observ'd by the ancient Gauls and Britons, in the naming of persons and places : perhaps you

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3 The study of Natural History must have been at that time at a low ebb in England; for even Ray, as we have before seen, had been obliged to send his works to Holland to be printed. For this of Buddle's we must presume no publisher could be found.

4 Caroli Nicolai Langii, Historia Lapidum figuratorum Helvetia, pagg. 165, tabb. æneæ 52. Venetiis. 1708. 4to.

5 This never appeared.

may supply me with some names of Mountains and Rivers of Yorkshire, not to be found in the Maps, some of which might illustrate or confirm other observations.

I am, honour'd SIR,

Your most obliged humble servant,

EDW. LHWYD.

P. S. Are there no Irish or British Manuscripts to be heard of in all your countrey; or any barbarous Manuscripts?

LETTER XXXIX.

Mr. Thoresby to Dr. Richardson.

HONOUR'D SIR,

LEEDS, February 23rd, 1708-9.

Being return'd from a London journey, I take myself obliged to give so good a friend as you have always been a short account of my tour; and the rather, because several eminent Virtuosos enquired particularly for you at Gresham College,' where one of your letters was read with great satisfaction. The most obliging Dr. Sloane

The meetings of the Royal Society were at first held at Gresham College; and they continued so to be till the purchase of the house in Crane-Court, in 1711, to which they were then transferred, and there were continued till about the year 1780, when apartments were assigned to the Society in Somerset-House.

is especially your servant. The Venetian Ambassador (who was lately admitted) was twice there; with the Dutch Envoy and other curious foreigners, who were pleased with some experiments made by the air-pump, &c.-I saw there some valuable manuscripts taken by Gustavus Adolphus. I need not tell you what valuable ones I met with in the Cottonian Library; but I was surprized to find so prodigious a number of original charters, bulls, manuscripts, as are of late collected and purchased at vast rates daily by Mr. Harley (the late secretary). I was especially pleased with some of the excellent Bishop Stillingfleet's, that relate to Yorkshire. I had also the perusall of the famous Record in the Exchequer, Domesday Booke, and liberty to transcribe what was for my purpose, by the favour of Norroy our King at Arms;2 who, with Mr. Dale,3 allowed me the like favour at the Herald's Office, where I took particular notice of your pedigree.-I was pleased to see them in their formalitys (the Union Arms being richly embroidered) upon the Queen's birth-day at St. James's, where was a vast concourse of the first-rate nobility, by many of whom I had been kindly receiv'd and shew'd variety of curiositys, (as their severall genii inclined them,) at their respective houses; but by

2,3 The office of Norroy King at Arms was then held by the celebrated antiquary, Peter Le Neve; and Robert Dale was Suffolk Herald Extraordinary.

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