Cadwallader Colden with Gronovius, Linnceus, Sj'c. 97 



in its proper place ; and therefore I should prefer a system that 

 serves best to this purpose, though it should no way agree with 

 the natural system. By this means many disputes would be 

 avoided among botanists, and the system would be more benefi- 

 cial to learners : for thereby they would have a double method 

 of discovering any unknown plant ; first from its natural con- 

 formity to some other known plant, and secondly, from some re- 

 markable part of its character by which they are in the artificial 

 system led to it.* I cannot forbear to wish that you would try 

 this method in a new edition of your American plants, for my 

 sake, and other unskillful philo-botanists in America. 



I shall be obliged to you, if you will please to inform me of 

 any new valuable works in medicine published with you. I 

 have not the good fortune to have seen any thing in the materia 

 medica that entirely pleases me. 



You cannot expect much new in literature from this part of 

 the world. I send with this a curious and new invention for 

 warming a room with a small fire more effectually than can be 

 done by a large fire in the common method, and is free of the 

 inconveniencies which attend the Dutch and German stoves ; 

 because by this contrivance there is a continual supply of fresh 

 warm air.f It may be particularly useful to you and Dr. Lin- 

 naeus, by preserving your health while it keeps you warm at 

 your studies. It is the invention of Mr. Benjamin Franklin, of 

 Philadelphia, the printer of it, a very ingenious man. Experi- 

 ence confirms the benefit of it. * * * 



I design to give our friend, Mr. Collinson of London, the trouble 

 of conveying this to you ; because we have not any ship at this 

 time designed from this to Holland. He does me commonly the 

 pleasure of writing to me twice in the year, at the seasons our 

 ships commonly leave London, viz. in the end of February and 

 beginning of September. When any ships from Amsterdam 

 either go to New York or to Philadelphia, if your friends at Am- 

 sterdam please to direct your letters for me by the New York 

 ships, to the care of Mr. Richard Nicholls, Postmaster in New 



* This proposal to employ a natural system of classification, with an artificial 

 anaylsis to facilitate its application, appears to correspond entirely with the meth- 

 ods now in use. — A. G. 



t The pamphlet here referred to (printed in 1774) is reproduced in Sparks, 

 Works of Franklin, Vol. 6. — A. G. 



Vol. xliv, No. 1.— Oct.-Dec. 1842. 13 



