996 PETER COLLINSON [1768. 



It grieves me much to hear of poor Billy's adversity ; but I 

 hope his virtuous mind will support him under it. Amongst thy 

 numerous acquaintance, it will be very hard if he cannot be got 

 into some business above the servile drudgery of a day labourer. 

 But that should operate in his favour, as an instance of his in- 

 dustry and humility, which I hope will be rewarded, at last, with 

 something more suitable to his abilities. 



Thy account of Augustine was very pleasing ; but the walling is 

 so complicate, I cannot form a tolerable idea of the place. Bray, 

 at thy leisure, with Billy's assistance, just draw me the outlines 

 on paper, marking each place with its name, and the rivers that 

 surround it on the one side and the other. This, I hope, will not 

 give much trouble, as it is only composed of lines. If the situa- 

 tions of the Forts, Churches, Governor's House, and other public 

 buildings, are added, and numbered with the figures, they will 

 make it more complete. * * * 



PETER COLLINSON TO WILLIAM BARTRAM. 



Mill Hill, February 16, 1768. 



I and my son opened my ingenious friend William's inimitable 

 picture of the Colocasia \_Nelumbium~\. So great was the decep- 

 tion, it being candle-light, that we disputed for some time whether 

 it was an engraving, or a drawing. It is really a noble piece of 

 pencil-work ; and the skill of the artist is shown in following 

 nature in her progressive operations. I will not say more in its 

 commendation, because I shall say too little where so much 

 is due. 



I wish the King had any taste in flowers or plants ; but as he 

 has none, there are no hopes of encouragement from him, for his 

 talent is architecture. But I shall show it, with thy other curious 

 performances, to Lord Bute, who is the only great man that en- 

 courages ingenious men in painting botanic rarities. 



The Wild Lime \Nyssa candicans, Mx.] would make an elegant 

 green-house plant, from its being an Evergreen [?]. It's a little 

 odd, no tolerably good specimen is sent of it. I wish some nuts 

 could be procured. There is no doubt of raising it. 



