Penjyhania, Philadelphia. lij 



from Philadelphia. He has acquired a great 

 knowledge of natural philofophy and hifto- 

 ry, and feems to be born with a peculiar 

 genius for thefe fciences. In his youth he 

 had no opportunity of going to fchool. But 

 by his own diligence and indefatigable ap- 

 plication he got, without inftrudtion, fo far 

 in Latin, as to underftand all Latin books, 

 and even thofe which were filled with bo- 

 tanical terms* He has in feveral fucceflive 

 years made frequent excurfions into differ- 

 ent diftant parts of North America^ with an 

 intention of gathering all forts of plants 

 which are fcarce and little known. Thofe 

 which he found he has planted in his own 

 botanical garden, and likewife fent over 

 their feeds or frefh roots to England. We 

 owe to him the knowledge of many fcarce 

 plants, which he firft found, and which 

 were never known before. He has fhevvn 

 great judgment, and an attention which 

 lets nothing efcape unnoticed. Yet with 

 all thefe great qualities, he is to be blamed 

 for his negligence -, for he did not care to 

 write down his numerous and ufeful obferva- 

 tions* His friends at London once obliged 

 him to fend them a fhort account of one of 

 his travels, and they were very ready/ with 

 a good intention, though not with fufSci* 

 eat judgment^ to get this account printed^ 

 H Biit 



