sjtfr. John Bar tram. ^ 9 



meeting his discoveries and collections to the curious 

 in Europe and elsewhere, for the benefit of science, 

 commerce, and the useful arts. 



Having arranged his various collections and obser- 

 vations in natural history, one of his particular friends* 

 undertook to convey them to the celebrated Peter 

 Collinson, of London. This laid the foundation ot 

 that friendship, and correspondence, which continued 

 uninterrupted, and even increasing, for near fifty 

 years of the lives of these two eminent men. Collin- 

 son, ever the disinterested friend, communicated, from 

 time to time, to the learned in Europe, the discoveries 

 and observations of Bartram. It was principally 

 through the interest of Collinson, that he became ac- 

 quainted, and entered into a correspondence, with 

 many of the most celebrated literary characters in 

 Europef , and was elected a member of the Royal 

 Society of London, of that of Stockholm, &c. 



* Joseph Brentnal, Merchant, of Philadelphia. 



t It is believed, that there have been but two or three native 

 Americans whose correspondence with the learned men of Eu- 

 rope was so extensive as that of Mr. Bartram. The mere cata- 

 logue of his correspondents would fill a page. A few of the 

 principal ones are mentioned: Linnxus, Gronovius, Dalibard, Sir 

 Hans Sloane, Catesby, Dillenius, Collinson, Fothergill, George 

 Edwards, Philip Miller, and Targioni. He likewise lived in ha- 

 bits of intimacy and friendship, or corresponded, With most of the 

 distinguished l.terary characters at that time in North-America, 

 among whom I may mention Dr. franklin, Dr. Garden, Mr. 

 Clayton, and Governor Colden. His large collection ol letters to 

 these, and many other, celebrated men, is in the possession of the 

 Editor. Extracts from some of them have already been pruned 



