198 



CHAPTER XL 



Correspondence of the Abbe Joseph Correct de Sena. 



Among those friends of Sir James Smith, who were 

 created such at first sight.by the magic sympathy of 

 natural science, the Abbe Joseph Correa de Serra 

 must be placed foremost. He was a botanist of 

 the first rank ; and the reader may recollect that his 

 acquaintance with Sir James began at M. de Jus- 

 sieu's at Paris, and that they afterwards met at 

 Rome. 



The Abbe" Correa was a man of great genius and 

 penetration, of good family and connexions ; but, 

 although a priest, appears to have fallen under the 

 suspicion of the Inquisition. The particulars are 

 involved in obscurity, yet some light may be thrown 

 upon them by the letters which immediately follow. 

 The first is from M. Broussonet, to whose acquaint- 

 ance Sir James was first introduced at Edinburgh. 



From M. Broussonet. 



Mon cher Smith, Saragosse, 29 Juillet 1794. 



Persecute en France et pret a y perir, je me sauve 

 a travers les plus grands dangers en Espagne, et je 

 desire pouvoir me rendre en Angleterre pour passer 



