204 PETER COLLINSON [1756. 



thy own : pray how does it agree with the sentiments of our great 



botanist, Phil. Miller ? 



* * * * 



No one doubts but that the marble of Tadmor was hewn out of 

 the neighbouring mountains : but thy notion of its formation by a 

 mixture of slime, or mud, with what thee calls nitrous or marine 

 salts, enters not into my comprehension. So thou hath it all to 

 thyself. 



But I am thy friend, 



P. COLLINSON. 



February 18, 1756. 



My first letter to my worthy friend, was of January 20th ; 

 which was a sort of general letter, writ in haste, to send by first 

 opportunity. 



Now I come to consider thine in course. 



I commend putting off thy expedition to the 

 western provinces. * * 



We think our weather very inconstant ; but yours is 

 much more so. * * 



Thy soliloquy is very pathetic. No part of God's works but 

 raise rapturous ideas in a well-disposed mind. * * 



It is said how true I don't know that your vast flocks of 

 pigeons, once a year, return from your inland parts, to regale 

 themselves on the sea-shore. This I know, that our pigeons are 

 great lovers of salts : for our columbarians make salt cakes, to 

 engage them to stay at home. * * * 



* * My dear John says truly, his hypothesis is com- 



posed of broken links, for I cannot unite them ; but yet there are 

 many ingenious conjectures. But suppositions are endless, and 

 we are still in the dark, relating to the many wonderful phenomena 

 in nature. The great Author of our being has set bounds to our 

 reasoning faculty, that we may be sensible of our imperfections; 

 yet has permitted us mental excursions, and those the best con- 

 nected and to us most probable may be nearest the mark. 

 * * * * 



I am greatly obliged for the last box of seeds thee sent, in 

 particular the Cfalega, which we never could raise, though we have 

 had seed so often ; so pray send two or three roots more, next 



