103 
which he owed him. The executors, unwilling to 
separate anything from the collection, offered the 
whole to Baron Alstrémer for 1000 guineas; they 
have not had his answer, nor do they expect he will 
buy it, as he is quite paralytic, and can neither read 
nor write at present: they therefore do not doubt 
his taking the small herbarium only, and in that 
case they offer me all the rest for 900 guineas, as 
the very lowest price: they have had offers of an 
unlimited sum from a Russian nobleman, but have 
declined treating with him till they had my final 
answer. 
I wrote last night, remonstrating against their 
having made such an offer to Baron Alstrémer, as 
nothing was said of it in Dr. Acrel’s first letter to 
me, and I agreed to take the whole without the 
small herbarium for 900 guineas, or with that, and 
pay Baron Alstrémer’s debt. I hope this will re- 
ceive your approbation. | 
The executors demand 500 guineas to be paid 
as soon as the bargain is concluded, the rest six 
months after. James Epwarp SmiTu. 
Dr. Acrel to Mr. James Edward Smith. 
’ Vir nobilissime, Upsalize, d. 6 Martii, 1784. 
Catalogum bibliothece Linneane jam tibi 
sisto, vir nobilissime, eum in finem, ut judices quid 
in re herbaria valeat selecta hec librorum col- 
lectio : continet enim libros permultos quos ob 
raritatem alibi frustra quesiveris. 
