1737.] T0 JOHN BARTRAM. 107 



tongue, was the only reason I did not send them to thee. I hope 

 not to be forgetful for the future. 



I am thy loving friend, 



P. COLLINSON. 



London, December 20, 1737. 



Dear Friexd : 



I shall now consider the remaining part of thine of July 19. 



The magic lantern is a contrivance to make sport with ignorant 

 people. There is nothing extraordinary in it : so not worth thy 

 further inquiry. 



Thee art still desirous of a magnifier for flowers. Pray make 

 this complaint to J. Logax, and try his thoughts. As thy inquiries 

 seem in some measure to be owing to him, and as thee art his pupil, 

 (which no man need be ashamed of,) no doubt but he will furnish 

 thee with suitable instruments for that purpose, in order to render 

 thy discoveries more perfect so undoubtedly more to his satisfac- 

 tion. 



What I hinted, as to thy cargo coming when I am so much en- 

 gaged, is not to have the season altered ; but to show thee, that as 

 thee strains a point to serve me, so I strain a point to serve thee. 

 Pray pursue the same successful track and method thee has always 

 done. But this I tell thee ; what I do, I would do for none but 

 thee : and yet, by the sequel of thy letter, thee thinks thyself not 

 amply rewarded. Pray, friend John, consider twenty-one pounds 

 per annum sterling, returned in goods or money, is a hard case, if 

 it will not make near, or quite, or more than forty pounds a year, 

 your currency. This, I think, will pay for five or six weeks spent 

 annually in thy collection, and hiring a man, and other expenses. 

 Supposing thee art in expense, in this affair, ten pounds your cur- 

 rency per annum which I don't think, why, to have thirty 

 pounds, your currency, in circulation in thy affairs, must certainly 

 be a fine thing, and sufficient to content any reasonable person. 

 I know thee art a man of more equity than to desire the sub- 

 scribers' money for little matters ; and on the other hand, thee art 

 so honest to send the most thee can afford to procure for them ; 

 more, they don't desire. Then what reason is there for thee to be 

 uneasy ? Pray let me hear no more of it. If thee canst not afford 

 to go on with this business, tell us so, and it will be at an end. 



