1756.] TO JOHN BART RAM. 209 



* * I wish, if without much trouble, thou could procure for me 

 half a dozen plants of ,the small Magnolia, or Sweet-flowering Bay, 

 or Swamp Laurel. I wish they could be plants of about two feet 

 high, with sods to them. I saw some most delightful fine young 

 plants, of that size, sent by J. Alexander. And if a young 

 Papaw or two of that size, I should like it well, and a sod or two 

 of thy Dittany, and Snakeroot. But, if these things must be 

 sought for where skulking Indians molest, never think more on 

 them. * * 



I have many of thy letters lays behind, which I shall take notice 

 of at my leisure. So for this time, my dear John, farewell. 



P. Collinson. 



The Governor will want seeds, &c, to send home. I have re- 

 commended him to thee for them. 



As thou art an admirer of Doctor Hill's performances, I per- 

 suade myself his History of Plants will not be unacceptable to thee ; 

 and, to do him justice, I think he has handled the subject skilfully, 

 and treated our friend Linnaeus decently, as ingenious men should 

 always do one another, when they differ in judgment. There are 

 only eighteen numbers yet published. These are sent with Dr. 

 Russel's History of Aleppo, for the Library Company. 



JOHN BARTRAM TO P. COLLINSON. 



June 12th, 1756. 



Dear Peter : 



I wrote lately, and answered thy letters and presents, and sent 

 it by Samuel Fothergill, by the way of Ireland ; and now since, 

 by Reeves, I have received thine of February 10th and April 3d. 

 Thee mentions the Bath water being warm, and several springs, in 

 other parts of the world, being exceeding hot, of which we have 

 frequent accounts. But, to render the phenomenon more surprising, 

 and the works of Eternal Wisdom more wonderful, there is, as I 

 have read, a very cold spring within a few yards of the hot one. 

 Nay, even in Iceland, near the base of Mount Hecla, there is a 

 very hot spring and a cold one, near one another. What different 

 sources these rise from, or what alteration they undergo, in their 

 passage to the surface, God Almighty knows. 



U 



