COLLEGE LIFE. 103 



increased by my residence at Grottingen, my botanical wander- 

 ings among the mountains of Germany, and my delightful but 

 sadly too hurried journey through the Peak district in Derby- 

 shire, which I made in company with your friend George 

 Forster. I have read as many books on the subject as my time 

 would allow, and have always been a close student of nature ; 

 but I am conscious that though up to the present time I have 

 acquired a great variety of information on mineralogy, my 

 knowledge is very disconnected and is of a somewhat superficial 

 character. I have long felt an ardent desire to go to Freiberg, 

 and enrol myself among the number of your pupils, but cir- 

 cumstances have hitherto rendered it impracticable. At length 

 these obstacles have been overcome. I have already attended 

 a course of jurisprudence and political economy at two univer- 

 sities, and I am now at the School of Commerce here, for the 

 sake of acquiring a knowledge of business routine ; but on 

 leaving this institution I shall still have six months at my 

 disposal the summer of 1791 before entering on official 

 employment. I am, unfortunately, only too well aware of the 

 insufficiency of six months for passing through a complete 

 course of instruction in mining. I shall endeavour, however, to 

 content myself with the privilege of your valuable instructions, 

 for a limited period, rather than be deprived entirely of so 

 great an advantage. I hope, as the will is not wanting, to apply 

 myself to the subject with so much energy and zeal as to learn 

 a great deal even in six months. 



4 1 leave this Institution at Easter, and a few weeks after shall 

 be at liberty to enter upon a course of study at Freiberg. I 

 therefore make so bold as to enquire if you could receive me 

 for so short a term as six months, and whether I and my servant 

 could be accommodated in the School of Mines, or whether I 

 should have to seek for lodgings in the town. I should be 

 greatly obliged if you would send me a few lines at once in 

 reply. I should have requested Herr Eosenstiel, Chief Coun- 

 sellor of Mines, or the Assessor, Herr Karsten, to write to you 

 on my behalf, had I not ventured to think that I might address 

 you in this more direct way. 



6 Pray accept the assurance of my highest esteem, &c, 



