1769.1 DOCTOR FOTHERGILL. 330 



alive, most of which are not able to help themselves, it is my duty 

 to provide for them. ' 



I have lately heard of many mineral waters ; one up the Mo- 

 hawk River, that lets fall a quantity of sulphur. The Indians 

 fetch the water away in kegs, for the sick to drink. One on the 

 Highlands by the North River. Several men and women, passen- 

 gers that were going up the river, drank at this spring to quench 

 their thirst, which purged them stoutly. * One 



chalybeate spring in East Jersey ; and Doctor Shaw, a brewer in 

 Burlington, affirmed to me, that a Spa water broke into his well, 

 which he brewed beer with, which affected the beer so much, that 

 it purged those who drank it so much, that they thought he put a 

 trick upon them. So he was forced to throw away fifty pounds' 

 worth of beer, and make use of other water to brew with. Another 

 Doctor told me of a spring near him, that if any that had the ague 

 should drink of it, they would vomit, and cure them. And one 

 that I was lately at, had a vitriolic taste, like copperas water. 



DOCTOR FOTHERGILL TO JOHN BARTRAM. 



London, 5th mo. 1st, 1769. 



Esteemed Friend : 



I received thy acceptable letter on the 17th of last month ; and 

 in a short time after, I also received the box of plants in pretty 

 good condition. Most of them will live, and divers of them are 

 new to me. One of the Ginseng plants is coming up vigorously. 

 I am much obliged to thee for this valuable present, and shall be 

 glad to make returns for it, as well as I can. If a copy of 

 Purver's Translation of the Bible will be acceptable, please to 

 call upon Thomas Fisher, in Philadelphia, and desire him to 

 deliver one bound, and place it to my account. The author of 

 this great undertaking, like thyself, is self-taught and instructed." 



* Axtho>~y PrKYER was a learned shoemaker, a member of the Society of 

 Friends, who, by his own exertions, acquired such a knowledge of the Hebrew and 

 Greek languages, that, in 1764, he completed a literal translation of the Old and 

 New Testament, with critical notes, a most laborious performance, the fruit of 

 thirty years' application. This he was enabled to publish in two folio volumes, 

 by the generosity of his friend, Doctor Fothergill, who, " made him a present 

 of 1000 for the copy, and took upon himself the expense of printing the work." 

 A. Purver was also highly respected as a public minister among Friends. He 

 died at Andover, in 1777, aged seventy five years. 



