1785.] TO DOCTOR FRANKLIN. 523 



to many valuable purposes in arts or manufactures, and to la- 

 replete with various species of earths, stones, salts, inflammabL 

 minerals, and metals (the many uses of obtaining a knowledge of 

 which is sufficiently obvious); remarks, experiments, &c, upon 

 every of which they propose making ; as also to make collections, 

 and preserve specimens, of everything that may enrich useful 

 science, or amuse the curious naturalist ; to the conducement of 

 which, they would willingly receive and observe any reasonable in- 

 structions that might facilitate their discoveries, or direct their 

 researches. 



I have taken the freedom to mention these proposals to tl 

 knowing that thou was always ready and willing to promote any 

 useful knowledge and science, for the use of mankind ; and if, on 

 consideration of the premises, thou should approve there* if. thou may 

 communicate them to the members of the Philosophical Society, or 

 any other set of gentlemen, that would be willing or likely to encou- 

 rage such an undertaking. Perhaps Congress, or some of the mem- 

 bers, might promote their going out with the surveyors, when they 

 lay out the several new states. 



I conclude, with being fearful of trespassing on thy patience, by 

 adding, that I have ordered my nepheAv, the Doctor, to present 

 thee with one of my Catalogues of the Forest Trees of our Thirteen 

 United States; which I hope thou'll accept of, for thy perusal. 

 Hoping to be excused for errors, imperfections, i:c. 



I am thy obliged friend, 



And the public's well-wisher, 



Humphry Marshall. 



DR. THOMAS PARKE* TO H. MARSHALL. 



Philadelphia, May 4th, 1771. 



Esteemed Friexd : 



As I intend to embark for London, in about three weeks' time, I 



* Thomas Parke was born in East Cain Township, Chester County, Pennsyl- 

 vania, on the 6th of August, 1749. Haying a desire to engage in the stud; 

 medicine, he went to Philadelphia, at the age of sixteen year-, to acquire a pre- 

 liminary education, and there became the pupil of Robekt Pkotid, the historian. 

 In 1767, he began his medical studies under Dr. Cadwalader Evan- of Phila- 

 delphia, and took the degree of Bachelor of Medicine at the College and Academy, 

 in the same city, on the 5th of June, 1770. In the year 1771, he crossed the 

 Atlantic, to avail himself of the advantages of medical instruction in Great Britain 



