448 MICHAEL COLLINSON [1771. 



Continent, that I received your agreeable favour of the 1st October 

 last ; and believe the account of boxes sent in 1767 and 8 to be 

 right, though I have not been able to ascertain it, to a box, which 

 is of little importance, as I have a most implicit confidence in 

 your honour, and shall instantly direct the payment of the balance 

 of the account, whenever you please to order it, to be paid to Mr. 

 Freeman, or otherwise, which I shall not be sorry for, as it is a 

 kind of weight upon me, especially as it is so very considerable, 

 and unexpected by me. However, I have a principle of honour in 

 my heart, which, if I know it, can never be capable of a shuffling 

 or dishonest action. You may, therefore, my dear sir, be entirely 

 satisfied, and make your demands whenever it suits you best. 



In the course of my late tour, the objects that most struck me 

 were the following : the forest of Fontainebleau, about thirty-five 

 miles south of Paris, in which there is a most romantic range of 

 rocks, not lying in strata, but roughly piled one upon another, and 

 covered with silver bark Birch, and our common Juniper, groAving 

 ten and fifteen feet high ; the wonders of Pont du Gard, a Roman 

 work, being an astonishing aqueduct thrown across a deep valley, 

 and joining two rocky mountains. This is situated near Nismes 

 and Montpellier. Here, among the rocks, grew Myrtle ; what we 

 have by the name of the Lycian Cedar, Arbutus ; a fine species of 

 Prickly Broom, and Wild Figs. * * 



I was, my dear sir, delighted beyond measure, at perceiving the 

 line which nature had drawn in the different latitudes, where one 

 species and tribe of plants ceased, and another commenced. 



* The lakes Garda, of Geneva, and Maggiore, are 

 noble little Caspians here ; but yet, how diminutive they appear in 

 comparison with your Huron, Superior, &c, &c. ! Upon a very 

 lofty Tyrolese mountain, which with great labour I ascended, I 

 found two species of Rhododendron, one in full bloom, and tinging 

 the highest crags with the richest glow of colouring. Many other 

 rare plants grew here, and upon Mount Cenis, the specimens of 

 which, and account of, would have given infinite pleasure to my 

 most dear parent, had Providence spared his life a little longer. 



I make no doubt but you have seen the little pamphlet of some 

 anecdotes of his life ; for the principal part of which, I think my- 

 self highly obligated to my valued friend Dr. Fotheruill. If 

 you have not, I have any number of copies at your service ; and 



