1743.] PETER COLLINSON. 165 



for you ever to have growing, without one that understands them 

 comes with them, and takes particular care of them in their pas- 

 sage. But I don't know how to leave my family. I have many 

 small children, and none yet grown up to take care of business ; 

 and servants, in this country, strive to do as little work, and spend 

 as much time as they can in carelessness. * * * I am obliged 

 to thee for recommending me to our proprietor. If he would 

 please to be so honourable as allow me an annual salary, worth while 

 to furnish his walks with all the natural productions of trees, shrubs, 

 and plants, which grow in our four governments, I would under- 

 take to do it. 



It pleaseth me, that what I sent to Sir Hans and M. Catesby 

 proved acceptable. I think that Hanging-bird's nest, belongs to 

 the Baltimore bird. The Aralia spinom I brought from Virginia. 

 It grows well, with me. * * * The fossil shells are found at 

 the distance of a hundred or a hundred and fifty miles from the 

 sea, most of the way, by places, from Hudson's Biver to Susque- 

 hanna. The Katskill Mountains, are in York government. 



I am apt to imagine our chimney swallows might build in hollow 

 trees, before Europeans built chimneys. My Bose is now pro- 

 ducing its second crop, out of the centre of its old flowers, which 

 many do. 



******* 

 In the township of Darby, several have joined together and 

 signed articles of agreement, pretty much like the Library Com- 

 pany at Philadelphia. They advised with me how the books should 

 be procured. I told them, I thought thee could send them better 

 than any that I knew if thee would favour such a design ; that 

 thee had abundance of business other ways ; and that if thee con- 

 descended to oblige them so much, it must be more for the love 

 and inclination thee bore to the promotion of learning, and thy 

 generous disposition to assist those that were thereto inclined, than 

 the benefit of what might be thought a reasonable satisfaction for 

 thy trouble, in buying and shipping them. However, they being 

 very desirous of having the books, assumed the freedom of address- 

 ing thee by letter, with a catalogue of the books they want, and a 

 bill of exchange, which I put in the box directed to thee. If 

 thee pleases to comply with their request, pray pack them up with 

 the goods I sent for. 



John Bartram. 



