Letter 3965

Hautefontaine between Soissons and Compiegne 8th May 1729 n.s. Sir On the 24th past I sent from Paris a long Box directed for you, containing a new Plan of Paris, the Author of which, Abbé de lagtive, gave it to me as a Present for the Royal Society, to be accompanied by a Letter from him, which however I have not yet received. I sent the said Box on the River to Roüer, from whence it will be forwarded to London by a ship, and delivered to you free of any expense. I have now the honour to send you some Copys of the Price proposed by the Royal Academy of Science at Paris, as I had them this morning from Mr Woolhouse. He mentions to me a new Book in [8?] you have de–sired of him (tho’ he does not name the Title) which he will send to me. As soon as I receive it, I shall take the opportunity of the first Messenger to forward it to you. It is now a long while since I troubled you with a Box of fossils from Soissons. I have heard you have been so Dr Rutty: good as to lay them before the Royal Society; but had any answer from yourself, I begin to doubt your letter to me may have miscarried. I should be glad to know, whether things of that nature are liked in the Assemblys, in which case I have more of them almost at the very door of this Country Seat, which I may send you for the Society’s Repo–sitory. They are most of them of the same sorts you have already, very beautiful and entire, but exceedingly small, so that if you approve of my sending them, the Packet shall not be very bulky. I intended, those I sent before should some free to you, but I hear the Custom House officers at Dover were the occasion of their going on to London perhaps at your charge. You will be pleased to lett me know whether you payd any thing, and I will take care to refund it. I hope you will be satisfied of my willingness to perform the little services I am able to do in my present situation, and you will give me leave to add, that it will be be your fault if you do not furnish me with opportunitys of showing how much I value the honour of being the Society’s Servant whilst I dare not presume upon sufficient capa–city of exerting myself as a Member. Any letter for me recommended to Mr Preverau at the Duke of New–castle’s office will go safe by the Post, and if it be a Packet, by some Messenger. I am with the most perfect esteem Sir Your most humble and most obedient Servant P.H. Zollman Octob. 16. 1729 Copied P.S. If the Custom House officers in France and England do not disappoint my care in packing up those Fossils, and they come safe to your hands, I beg you would be pleased to show them first of all to Sir Hans Sloane, and to make my offer of them, together with my humble Respects, acceptable to him; acquainting Him at the same time, that upon my first arrival at Paris, not finding the Abbé Bignon in Town, nor his Secretary at home, I delivered the Packet Sir Hans had given me for him, to the Surss at the Abbé’s Hotel. You will do me also a particular favour in You will excuse my troubling You with the enclosed for Dr Dillenius. P.H.Z