On Fiorin Grass. 139 



1791, prohibits the granting of particular encouragements to 

 those who have provided themseves vvith a patent. This reso- 

 lution was adopted, upon the consideration that no recompense 

 is due to those inventers who reserve to themselves the exclu- 

 sive enjoyment of their discoveries ; and that tht)se persons only 

 merit favour, who render their discoveries of free and common 

 use, and thus add to the welfare of society, which all govern- 

 ments ought to seek incessantly to ameliorate. 



Paris, Oct. 30, 1813. Coirax D. SUSSY, 



Minister of Manufactures ami Commerce. 



XXXV. On Fiorin Grass. % William Richardson, D.D. 

 To Mr. Tilloch. 



Sir, — X YESTERDAY received, through Mr. Farey, the 217th 

 number of your valuable Magazine, containing a g-eological letter 

 of mine, addressed to my friend The Countess of Gosford, com- 

 municated to you by Mr. Farey, who, I suspect, received it from 

 my worthy and much lamented friend Mr. Johnes, member for 

 Cardiganshire, lately deceased. 



That letter was nearly limited to facts — while " the observa- 

 tions to which these facts give rise, and the inferences to be 

 drawn from them, were reserved for another letter," as I there 

 state. 



This second letter to my noble friend, I now transmit to you, 

 conceiving the first would be imperfect without it. 



Mr. Farey has been pleased to add, and you to publish, "So7«e 

 preliminary remarks and illustrative notes:" — upon these I must 

 retiuest you to indulge me in a few observations : 



Mr. Farey, after some very flattering expressions, is pleased to 

 lament " that my attention should have been entirely diverted 

 from geology, my proper pursuit, in order perseveringly to at- 

 tempt the conversion of English farmers, — a vain attempt." 



Vain enough no doubt, but not entirely desperate; for, while 

 the great body of the English agriculturists are obstinately pre- 

 judiced against any thing they are not used to, and reject no- 

 velty with contempt, — yet still there are a few 



" quibus «rte benif;t,ii 



Et intliore luto fiiixit piiecoidia Titan." 



We must not therefore complain, 



" Si rciiquos fugieniia patrum vestigia tlucunt." 



My exertions too have not been entirely fruitless. Our own 

 East Indies enjoy the luxuriance of this succulent grass, St. 



1 4 Helena 



