286 



189. 



Sir 



By the Ship Good hope the master Peter Larson from London to 

 Stockholm, I have sent a small box containing a few Birds and insects 

 directed as you desire'd to M! Carl Linné. Stockholm; which I hope 

 you will receive safe, and wish you may find any thing worthy of your 

 acceptanee in it. 



I was at Oxford in the year 1769 and remember the incident you 

 mention^ very well, one of the Gentlemen with us told us that a 

 Foreigner then present was surprized to see a Lady that knew any thing 

 of plants; the person contended with was the Gardener who was a 

 great dunce. 



There are many Ladies in this Gountry that are very fond of plants, 

 one only of my acquaintance that knows them scientifically which is Lady 

 Ann Monson. this knowledge I have taken some pains to acquire, & 

 tho: I have labour'd under many difficultys, not knowing one word 

 of latin when I began to study your Systema Naturae, which hath em- 

 ployM my leasure hours for the last 4 or 5 years, in which time tho 

 I have not been able to acquire a thorough knowledge of it, I have so 

 far suceeded as to be able to find out most things, w*^!' 1 assure you 

 1 think an ample recompence for all the pains it has cost me. 



My Father has one of the best Golections of plants in this country, 

 but at 73 years old, thought it late to begin to learn a new system 

 and therefore I had little help from him. 



I wish it was as much in my power, as it is in my inclination to 

 send you a new plant, and shou'd think my self very highly honour'd 

 by Your puting my name to it. 



My Golection of dry'd birds is pritty num[erous]. my cabinet is not 

 destitute of shells, Insects, fish, & Fossils, & if my Brother lives will 

 increase fast. I am not so happy as to know M] Banks & DT So- 

 lander, from a freind of theirs this day I received a letter to acquaint 

 me he had been with them & view'd their store & found they have 100 

 new genera & a 1000 new species of plants, 150 Birds, 200 fish, 50 

 insects, & 20 quadrupeds: not the variety of shells & corals that one 



