Letter 1173

[fol. 66] Dear Sr. yrs of ye 26. June last did not arrive here till 26 octr. yr kind present of books I had by ye mermaid bound for Legorn & this place in Augst last for wch I return you a thous’d thanks. I have Pera Plumiers treatise of ferns & only staid for yrs to enter them in my Pinax wch I am now about. I don’t render you were puzled wth Dr. Plukenets specimens; he seems to me to have been resolv’d to insert in his works all ye names of plants, he any where met wth, at least I beleive he would not have faisted in several out of books I lent him, but to let ye word see he had read them I am glad his collections are like to remain, if his plants may be set in a truer light. had I staid in Engld one year longer, I beleive I had had ye seeing of them, being very great wth him & having a promise of it from him when we were so near neighbours, wch wou’d have sav’d me a great deal of trouble, & of comitting a great many mistakes. I am sorry for Capt. Dampiers loss; I was in hopes of seeing speedily an acct. of his voyage wch woud have been very diverting & instructive. since you are pleased to mention ye duplicates of yr Jamaica plants as well as Meril’d wch you design me, I desire they may be deliverd to my Brother in order to be sent me by first convoy, for wth out one I will not venture them. if you will oblige me wth yr duplicates for Mr Cuningham (wch I find named in Dr. Plukenets Amalthoum) I’le indeavr to make some retaliation. The best sort of standing of imoveable Barometer (wch I suppose are made by Mr Partridg is what I desire. be pleased to send me also a hand glass for reading medalls, wch daily increase upon me, so yr I hope to make tho not a compleat, yet a large collection of wch many undescribed. I sent my Ld Pembroke seven silver ones of his catalogue by convoy inclosd to Mr Hill of ye Admiralty & since yet have ^found^ two mark wch shall be sent wth what Greek inscriptions I have, by first safe occasion; & then I shall presume to write his Ld ship again. I have order’d my Brother to pay you what you disburse for me & an yt acct for ye liberty of being so free wth you. be pleased to send me 2 of yr Catalogues in plures or bound, wch will save me ye time of copying it out. I want severall books wch I expect from Holland & else where, besides some of my own wch are not yet come over. I have writ to my brother to look them out if in case ^he cannot find them, to but them if he can meet them. such are Boccone dept-siulia 4to.H.R.Blos.moris.Botan.morspel.and Pereri d’Anguillara, Hortus Wingbury &c. by next convoy you shall have more specimens & some other curiosities of this country. my service to all friends, I am wthout reserve Dear Sr. yr most obliged humble servant WSherard Smirna Novr 15 1707