LIKNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDON. 27 



secret method of pearl- formation. This seems fo haA'e been 

 exactly the predicament in which Mr. Bagge the grandson found 

 hhnself when he inherited his grandfather's pa])ers bought from 

 Linnaeus, but ap])arently made no use of. He explains in the 

 second MS. volume to which I have referred, and wliich contains 

 the missing papers A. to H., how it was that his grandfather and 

 his father were unable to take advantage of the rights they had 

 acquired, and how he himself was not in a position to do so until 

 after the lapse of 60 years from the original purcliase. 



It is, however, evident that J. P. Bagge eventually contem- 

 plated pursuing the industry of pearl-formation by Linuaeus's 

 method, as we have in this volume a copy of a letter from the 

 King of Sweden, dated Feb. 27th, IS'22, confirming to him the 

 privileges his Grandfather had obtained by purchasing the secret 

 in 1762. It is evident also that he was troubled by the thought 

 that possibly Sir James Smith possessed a copy of the secret 

 amongst his Linna,'an papers, or that he or others in England 

 might be able to hit upon the method by an examination of the 

 pearls and shells which it was known had gone to London. In a 

 " Private Memorandum " in our MS. book, J. P. Bagge says : — 



" Question A. Shall I write to Sir Ja^ E. Smith and ask him 

 for the pearls and mussel-shells which produced them ? 



" Remarlcs. If he is not inclined to give up all, perhaps he may 

 tlie half, particularly if I offer him the original merit list of 

 Linnaeus in exchange, a document he may deem interesting either 

 for the Linncean Society or to publish in one of the new editions 

 of Sir James' works. I think I could besides offer the value of 

 the pearls in money according to survey, and as they are not con- 

 nected with Botany perhaps Sir Ja^. thinks them woi'thless, in a 

 scientific point of view. It would certainly be pleasant, in offer- 

 ing the secret, to be able to produce specimens of pearls actually 

 prochiced by Linnceus. Perhaps he \\ould lend them for some 

 time." 



Probably at that time (about 1820) Bagge hoped to induce the 

 State, or some individual or company in Sweden to take the 

 matter up and acquire his rights. He evidently in the end wrote 

 something to Sir J. E. Smith, for we have a copy of the answer, 

 which is as follows : — 



(Copy of Sir James E. Smith's letter to J. P. Bagge.) 



"Holkham, Norfolk, 

 Nov. 28, 1821. 

 " Sir, 



I received your packet at Noruich, my usual residence, 

 and I take the opportunity of a little leisure in the country to 

 answer it. 



" The only jiearls I ever expected from the possession of your 

 illustrious countryman's literary treasures are pearls of science, in 

 which I have not been disappointed. I am contented with these, 



