252 PETER COLLINSON [1763. 



expression ; and before, I told thee of the Mountain Magnolia, and 

 the surprising flowers of the red and yellow Sarracenia. Thus, my 

 dear Johx, thou sees I am not much behind thee in a fine show. 

 But when thy Eden plants flower, I shall not be able to bear the 

 report of them. 



But what delights me is, to hear that our Horse Chestnut has 

 flowered. I think it much excels the Virginia, if the spikes of 

 flowers are as large with you as with us. To see a long avenue of 

 them at Hampton Court, of trees fifty feet high being perfect 

 pyramids of flowers from top to bottom, for all the spikes of flowers 

 are at the extremities, is one of the grandest and most charming 

 sights in the world. * * My dear John, what art 



thou talking of ? Wait two years for the double white Daffodil ! 

 Think, man ! and know how to value so great a rarity ; for I 

 waited almost all my lifetime, to get this rare flower. I read of it, 

 and saw it figured in books, but despaired of ever possessing it. 

 But about seven years agone, happening in a tour, forty miles from 

 London, my botanic genius carried me into a garden where I 

 expected to find nothing ; on a sudden my eyes were ravished with 

 the sight of this flower, and my heart leaped for joy, that I should 

 find it at last ; and never saw it since in any garden but my own. 

 And I tell thee for thy comfort, if thou had not been John Bar- 

 tram, thou hadst not possessed such a rarity. But as thou 

 grudgest the time, and so little esteems it, I shall be careful where 

 I cast my pearls another time. * 



Consider, my dear Johx, what a pleasure I feel, now I can give 

 thee an order for a ten guinea box, for young Lord Petre. Little 

 did I think, when I gave thee the first like order for his valuable 

 father, in the year 1735 or 1736, that I should live to give the 

 like for his son. It may be truly said the spirit of Elijah rests 

 on Elisha, for he began this year with a box of thy seeds. 



I am delighted with thy dissertation on the good old Doctor 

 [Witt], It is very much the idea I had formed of him, from the 

 numerous letters of a long correspondence, which has given me 

 much entertainment, when he tells of the fascinating power of some 

 women over men, and of the effects and fatal consequences of the 

 penetrating look of an evil eye from some women. But as thou 

 hast summed up his character, upon the whole I believe he meant 

 well, did what good he could, and lived up to the convictions of 

 his own mind ; so I hope will meet with a suitable reward. 



