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Mr. Davall to J. E. Smith. 



My very dear Friend, Orbe, Feb. 11, 1791. 



How can I ever acknowledge your goodness, and 

 I may say your preferable attention and favour, to 

 me, in giving up so much of your precious time to 

 me and to the settling of my doubts ; in truth, will 

 it not be to you to whom students will be obliged, 

 if my work contains any thing good? I am, God 

 knows, as grateful as any man possessed of a heart 

 uncorrupted and capable of the warmest attachment 

 can be ; — but this is nearly all I have to offer you. 

 May I never hope the blessing of Providence, if 

 ever you discover a friend more cordial and sincere! 

 I hardly think but of you, and, together with my 

 best female friend and my little girl, I exist but for 

 and through vou. 



The weather has been mild of late; the snow has 

 melted; we have had rain, and what they properly 

 call here "tin hiver pourri": at a time when 1 ought 

 to work assiduously at the execution of my delayed 

 plan, I have had longirigs and lo7igings like those 

 of a pregnant woman, to ramble after Lichens. I 

 have been but once ; hereafter I must ramble. Ha- 

 ving observed t'other day a charming Lichen on a 

 rock, which I could not well detach, as the weather 

 was dry, I returned yesterday under favour of a lit- 

 tle rain, which procured me a good scolding from 

 my good old aunts, and some little reprimand from 

 my wife ; but I was soon console, as I believe my 

 Lichen may be worth your attention. There is one 



