93 
his own are now to be sold; the whole consists of 
an immense hortus siccus, with duplicates, insects, 
shells, corals, materia medica, fossils, a very fine 
library, all the unpublished manuscripts; in short, 
of every thing they were possessed of relating to 
natural history and physic: the whole has just 
been offered to Sir Joseph Banks for 1000 guineas, 
and he has declined buying it. The offer was made 
to him by my friend Dr. Engelhart, at the desire of 
-a Dr. Acrel of Upsal, who has the charge of the 
collection.—Now, I am so ambitious as to wish to 
possess this treasure, with a view to settle as a phy- 
sician in London, and read lectures on natural hi- 
story. Sir Joseph Banks and all my friends to 
whom I have entrusted my intention approve of it 
highly. I have written to Dr. Acrel, to whom Dr. 
Engelhart has recommended me, for particulars and 
the refusal, telling him if it was what I expected, I 
would give him a very good price for it. I hope, 
my dear sir, you and my good mother will look on 
this scheme in as favourable a light as my friends 
here do. There is no time to be lost, for the affair 
is now talked of in all companies, and a number of 
people wish to be purchasers. The Empress of 
Russia is said to have thoughts of it. 
The manuscripts, letters, &c., must be invaluable ; 
and there is, no doubt, a complete collection of all 
the inaugural dissertations which have been pub- 
lished at Upsal, a small part of which has been re- 
published under the title of Amenitates Academice ; 
a very celebrated and scarce work. All these dis- 
sertations were written by Linneus, and must be of 
