1744.1 T0 JOHN BARTRAM. 337 



alone, some with the addition of a third part of rum, molasses 

 spirit, or some other spirit, if you have any clean and cheaper. I 

 should be glad to have a few dried flowers sent over, and some 

 put into a quart bottle when fresh gathered, and some molasses 

 spirit or rum, poured upon them, and then close corked. 



Thus thou sees, my good friend, that thy generous offer is like 

 to be followed with not a little trouble, and some expense ; but 

 whatever of this kind happens, shall be thankfully repaid, and thy 

 trouble acknowledged in the best manner I can. 



I am thy obliged friend, 



John Fothergill, Jr. 



P. S. * It just now occurs to my thoughts, 



and which I shall endeavour to think on again, that a collection of 

 the several natural productions of your colony, would be a fine ad- 

 dition to your Public Library. No one is fitter for the undertaking 

 than J. Bartram ; and some means ought to be considered, to 

 make it worth his while. This hint may at least be so far useful, 

 as to induce thee to keep a part by thee, of everything curious, lest 

 thou should be called upon for that purpose. 



Farewell, 

 J. F. 



JOHN BARTRAM TO DOCTOR FOTHERGILL. 



July the 24th, 1744. 



Respected Friend Doctor Fothergill : 



I have now before me, thy kind letter of the 22d of 12th month, 

 1743-4. I am glad those things I sent thee prove acceptable. 

 Perhaps I may send some few curiosities next fall ; but as times 

 are so precarious, and my subscriptions this year, are small, I shall 

 hardly travel above one hundred miles from home, in each direc- 

 tion, and consequently can't find many. 



The Sassafras flowers were all fallen before I received thy 

 letter. There is a very penetrating oil extracted from the berries, 

 by frying them in a pan, like as you do coffee. We have abun- 

 dance of medicinal roots, herbs, and barks, used with success 

 amongst the common people, which are extolled for wonderful 

 specifics, in many infirmities, upon the first discovery made by the 



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