230 GILBEKT WHITE OF SELBORNE 1773 



to Linnseus, but figured in Ray's ' Synopsis/ Tab. 17, Fig. 2., 

 Vide p. 413, with several others I do not immediately 

 recollect. They were bound to Snowdon, in the neighbour- 

 hood of which they proposed to spend five or six weeks. 

 I have not heard of their success. But as Lightfoot had 

 with great accuracy collected the names and places of all 

 the curious plants they hoped to find, from Ray and others, 

 I presume the journey, which was new to both of them, has 

 not been thrown away. You have, I believe, seen Lightfoot 

 since his Scotch Tour with Mr. Pennant, and of course have 

 heard that he discovered many plants that had escaped 

 the Scottish botanists. Mr. Yalden is now in Scotland, 

 studying physic at Edinburgh; and, as he is to be part 

 of his time in the Highlands, I make no doubt, will make 

 farther discoveries. He is not expected to return under two 

 years. 



About the middle of August I saw our friend Sheffield on 

 a physiological ramble, in a state of uncertainty whether he 

 should cross the Irish Channel or not. I recommended him 

 to Aberystwith partly as the best place in South Wales for 

 a passage to Dublin, and partly because the coast of Cardigan- 

 shire was left untouched by Lightfoot and Banks. . . . 



The last advice I had of Linnaeus was from Mr. Banks, to 

 whom he had written, but a little before, with a good deal 

 of chagrin, for not having sent him the specimens of the 

 South Sea plants he had promised him. He said, " he was 

 an old man ; and that if it was intended he should ever see 

 them, the sooner they were sent the better." Mr. Banks 

 thought he was well. 



I am with great esteem, 



Your obliged friend, &c., 



R. Skinner. 



p.S._"What advices of or from the Island of St. Matthew ? 

 Any new birds from my old friend John White ? — or intelli- 



