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THE RASHLEIGH COLLECTION OF MINERALS. 



By JOHN DAVIEvS ENYS, F.G.S. 



Having heard that some time ago Mr. Jonathan Eashleigh, 

 of Menabilly, had offered to sell his collection of minerals to the 

 Eoyal Institution of Cornwall, but that for want of funds the 

 Institution was unable to purchase, I wrote enquiring whether it 

 was still for sale, and if so the amount required for same. Mr. 

 E. W. E-ashleigh replied that the collection had been valued at 

 i!3,000, but that his father would, with a view to keeping it in 

 the county, offer it to the Institution for £1,200. 



I then wrote to several friends to know if they would help 

 me to purchase the minerals and, after receiving some favourable 

 replies, I asked Dr. Richard Pearce and Messrs. Howard Fox, 

 James Osborne and Geo. Penrose to go with me to Menabilly to 

 see the collection. Mr. Fox and Mr. Penrose were able to go 

 and together we examined a large number of the minerals. 



The collection, which is estimated to contain more than 

 25,000 specimens, was made chiefly by Mr. Philip Eashleigh, of 

 Menabilly, Cornwall, on whose death, in 1811, it was valued at 

 £4,000.'^' The specimens are in an excellent state of preservation 

 and many of them are figured in his works on " British Minerals," 

 published in 1797 and 1802. They are well labelled, and many 

 are accompanied with full particulars as to their chemical 

 composition, obtained by analysis. There are two good catalogues. 



It is impossible at present to give a detailed account of the 

 collection, but this will be done when it has been arranged in the 

 Museum. Many of the minerals were acquired at considerable 

 expense, others were given by such men as Sir Joseph Banks, J, 

 Wedgwood, &c. 



Grold is represented by many very rich and beautiful 

 specimens. The nugget weighing nearly two ounces, taken from 

 the old tin stream works at Carnon, will interest all Cornishmen. 



I. Mr. Rashleigh, whose portrait we give, was born 28th Dec, 1729. He was 

 F.R.S. ; F.S.A. ; and M. P. for Fowey at eight different times. For list of his published 

 works, see Bibliotheca Cornubieiisis. 



