'^l6 Thofnson^s last letter to Paterson, May i, 



■winter. You will give me no small pleasure by 

 sending me, from time to time, some of these seeds, 

 if it were no more but to amuse me in making the 

 trial. 



With regard to the brother gardeners ; you ought 

 to know, that as they are half vegetables, the ani- 

 mal part of them will never have spirit enough to 

 ■consent to the transplanting of the vegetable into dis- 

 tant dangerous climates. They, happily for them- 

 selves, have no other idea but to dig on here, eat, 

 drink,^ sleep, and kifs their wives. 



As to more important businefs, I have nothing to 

 write to you. You know best the course of it. Be 

 (as you always must be) just, and honest; but if 

 you are unhappily romantic, you fliall come home 

 without money, and write a tragedy on yourself*. 

 Mr Lyttleton told me that the Grenvilles and he 

 had strongly recommended the person the governor 

 and you proposed for that considerable office, lately 

 fallen vacant in your department, and that there 

 were good hopes of succeeding. He told me also 

 that Mr Pitt had said that it was not to be expected 

 that offices, such as that is, for which the greatest in- 

 terest is made here at home, could be accorded to 

 your recommendation ; but that as to the middling or 

 iaferior offices, if there was not some particular rea- 

 son to the contrary, regard Vv'ould be had thereto. 

 This is all that can be reasonably desired : And if 

 you are not infected with a certain Creollan distem- 

 per, (whereof I am persuaded your soul will utterly 



* Paterson had trie.i his hand mo 3 trjgejy at London without much 

 uccefs. 



