PREFACE Vll 



many of them known a hundred years, and most, twenty or thirty, 

 should be esteemed at court as new discoveries. Several of my 

 friends put me upon sending my new discovered specimens to the 

 King, to try my success. Accordingly I have put up a little box of 

 such specimens as I am sure he (Young ) never found, and I believe 

 never came to England before I sent them. The box I sent to thy 

 care with a letter to the King under cover to thee which pray deliver 

 to his Majesty." 



Honest John was evidently a bit uneasy that his fresh young 

 neighbor might supplant him in the favor of George the Third, and, 

 under date of October the 16, 1764, he writes (page 267): 

 "Dear Peter : I sent by Captain Budden, by my neighbour Young, 

 my spring specimens and a vial of Chinquapins, to try how they 

 will do that way. 



"Various are the opinions of Young's success. Some think he 

 will make such an awkward appearance at court that he will soon 

 come back again. Others that the Queen will take care of the Ger- 

 man gentleman. I think that if he is put under Dr. Hill's care he 

 will make a botanist, as he is very industrious and hath a good share 

 of ingenuity. 



"I hope thee will find some way to forward the box I sent to thee 

 for the King, not that I depend on having any such preferment as 

 Young had, but chiefly as a curiosity, to see what difference will be 

 made betwixt such rare plants as never grew in Europe or Asia and 

 such as have been growing in the English Gardens between twenty 

 and one hundred years past, for such, I believe, were most that 

 Young sent. But I and several others would be greatly pleased 

 with a list of what he sent." 



On April 9, 1765, Collinson wrote Bartram (page 268) that he 

 had secured for him an appointment as "Botanist to the King" with 

 a salary of 50 yearly, but making no reference to Young. 



In May, 1765, he again writes and makes a brief allusion to the 

 Queen's protege, thus (page 270) : "I have not seen Young for 

 some time. I conclude he is prosecuting his botanic studies." 



With Collinson's next letter to Bartram on this topic (page 279), 

 the plot considerably thickens and our interest kindles somewhat 

 "May 28, 1766. My dear John, I wonder thou should trouble 

 thyself about the Queen, as she has Young, and everything will be 

 shown him. It cannot be expected he will favour any one's interest 

 but his own. He is now so new-modelled and grown so fine and 

 fashionable, with his hair curled and tied in a black bag, that my 

 people, who have seen him often, did not know him. I happened 

 not to be at home, so could not inquire what scheme he is upon." 



