LINN^US. 



345 



have been in expectation. If he had brought some 

 of his specimens with him, I could at once have told 

 him what were new ; and we might have turned 

 over books together^ and he might have been in- 

 formed or satisfied upon many subjects, which after 

 my death will not be so easily explained. 



" I have no answer from him to the letter I en- 

 closed to you, which I cannot but wonder at. You 

 yourself know how much I have esteemed him, and 

 how strongly I recommended him to you. 



" By all that is great and good, I entreat you, 

 who know so well the value of science, to do all that 

 in you lies for the publication of these new acquisi- 

 tions, that the learned world may not be deprived 

 of them. They will afford a fresh proof, that the 

 English nation promote science more than the 

 French, or any other people whatsoever. At the same 

 time, let me earnestly beg of you to publish, as soon 

 as possible, your own work, explaining those elegant 

 plates of rare zoophytes, &c. which you last sent me. 

 I can no longer restrain my impatience. Allow me 

 to remind you, that ' nothing is so uncertain, no- 

 thing so deceitful, as human life ; nothing so frail, 

 or surrounded with so many diseases and dangers, 

 as man.' 



'' Again the plants of Solander and Banks recur 

 to my imagination. When I turn over Feuillee's 

 figures, I meet with more extraordinary things 

 among them than anywhere else. I cannot but 

 presume, therefore, as Peru and Chili are so rich, 

 that in the South Sea Islands as great an abundance 

 of rarities have remained in concealment, from the 

 beginning of the world, to reward the labours of our 

 illustrious voyagers. I see these things now but afar 



