EUROPEAN FAME 209 



many of the last in a " high state of health and vegeta- 

 tion." The captors proposed to give the King a first 

 refusal, and afterward offered them to Sir Joseph Banks. 

 Aiton went down the river to inspect the plants, and 

 reported favourably ; and presently took charge of 

 them at Kew. In the end a great many of them came 

 into the hands of the British Museum. 



The following unpublished letter from Lord Nelson 

 tells its own tale. We have not been able to identify the 

 prize nor to discover what became of her precious cargo. 



" Amphion, OFF TOULON, 



" July 9> 1803. 



" MY DEAR SIR JOSEPH, One of our frigates has taken 

 a French corvette, which has been at Athens and brought 

 from thence some cases of I know not what ; but I 

 suppose things as choice as Lord Elgin's. I have directed 

 that the cases should not be opened, but sent to England 

 as they are ; that if the public wish to purchase them, 

 Government should have the option. As they are the 

 property of the lowest seamen, they cannot be presented, 

 or I should have been truly happy to have had it in my 

 power to give them to the Royal Society or to the 

 Academy of Arts. However, I have directed them to 

 you, hoping that you will take the trouble that Govern- 

 ment may know the value of them, and if they choose 

 to buy them pay the money to the Agent. If they do not 

 think them worthy of their attention, I must content 

 myself with my kind thoughts toward my country, and 

 direct the Agent to sell them. Although I do not think 

 that these works (I suppose of Architecture) are in your 

 line of pursuits ; yet, by addressing myself to you I 

 have given myself a great pleasure in enquiring after 

 your health, and of assuring you of my sincere respect 

 and esteem. 



