LINN^US. 349 



troducing to the correspondence of Linnaeus the 

 celebrated Dr Garden, who had settled at Charles- 

 ton in South Carolina, where he practised medi- 

 cine for nearly thirty years. He was a native of 

 Scotland, and received his education at Aberdeen 

 and Edinburgh. During the intervals of leisure 

 which occasionally occurred in the practice of his 

 profession, he directed his attention to the study of 

 botany and zoology. When the differences be- 

 tween Great Britain and her American colonies 

 arose, he took part with the former, and returned 

 to Europe about the end of the war, with his wife 

 and two daughters, leaving, however, a son, who 

 submitted to the new government. He died of pul- 

 monary consumption in 1791, in the sixty-second 

 year of his age. 



Dr Garden to Linn^us. 



" Charleston, Nov. 30, 1758. 



" Sir, — Three years ago I troubled you with a 

 letter by way of Holland, of which I sent also a 

 duplicate; but I fear they have both accidentally 

 miscarried. From that period I have often thought 

 of soliciting afresh your friendship and correspond- 

 ence, but shame has deterred me. I am well aware 

 that your time must be fully occupied with more 

 valuable correspondents, and that I am likely to be 

 more troublesome than useful, having nothing wor- 

 thy to repay such an indulgence. I do, however, 

 stand in great need of your advice and assistance in 

 the prosecution of the most delightful of studies ; 

 and such is my conviction of the benevolence of your 

 character, that I cannot refrain from writing you 

 another letter. I earnestly beseech you to take this 



