211 



menon of their irritability, with the greatest success 

 in all of them. I remember having spoken to you 

 about it ; and as probably the English Verbasca are 

 now in flower about Norwich, I will be very glad if 

 you observe it minutely. Strike with a stick, and 

 with some force, the stem of the plant, under the 

 branches, two or three times, and wait patiently for 

 some minutes ; you will see the limbus of the co- 

 rolla move towards the centre, and afterwards the 

 basis of the tubus slowly detach itself from the re- 

 ceptacle, and fall, — and immediately the calyx close 

 itself with impatience, and embrace the seeds ; and 

 that will happen to all the open flowers one after 

 another. In Portugal I had observed it in the Ver- 

 bascum Thapsi, sinuatum, Blattaria, now at Lee's in 

 many others, and I wish I could observe all its spe- 

 cies and the Celsia : I know nothing analogous in 

 other plants. Next year this will be followed, and 

 make a memoir for our Society. Mr. Bauer is about 

 to publish the Digitalis. Mr. Menzies has written 

 to Sir Joseph from Valparaiso in Chili, and in a few 

 months will be in England. — These are all the bo- 

 tanical news I can send you. 



From what you say, I am convinced it is my fate 

 to be obliged to all your family. I will endeavour 

 to justify the good opinion which your mother has 

 given of me. Pray remember me to her ; and also 

 where I am not yet acquainted I vow myself, as in 

 the Roman dedications, notis et ignotis Diis. 



I wish Mr. Voght* was in London, to get ac- 

 quainted with him ; the author of such a benevolent 

 * Casper Voght, Esq. See p. 71. 

 p 2 



