29 



fast. These two days I could have refreshed myself finely, if the 

 Doctor had been at home, or durst have eaten freely of what was set 

 before me : for they all were very kind." 



Further on in a letter from Peter Collinson to John Bartram 

 dated January, 1756, he expresses himself in regard to Miss 

 Colden's accomplishments in the following terms : 



"Our friend Colden's* daughter has, in a scientific manner sent 

 over several sheets of plants, very curiously anatomized after his f 

 method. I believe she is the first lady that has attempted anything 

 of this nature. They are to be sent to Dr. Gronovius ; and he, poor 

 man ! I believe is in a bad state of health ; for I cannot get a line from 

 him (who used to be very punctual), if he has received Billy's fine 

 drawings of Oaks, and thy system. Though 1 have writ several letters, 

 I shall this day send another." 



But the most interesting of all is the letter from John Bartram 



to Miss Jane Golden dated January 24th, 1757, that begins : 



John Bartram to Miss Jane Golden.^ 



"January the 24th, 1757. 

 "Respected Friend Jane Golden: 



" I received thine of October 26th, 1756, and read it several times 

 with agreeable satisfaction : indeed, I am very careful of it, and it 

 keeps company with the choicest correspondence, — European letters. 



" The Viney plant thee so well describes, I take to be the Dwscorea 

 of Hill and Gronovius ; though I never searched the characters of the 

 flower so curiously as I find thee hath done ; but pray search them 

 books, thee may presently find that article. 



"I shall be extremely glad to see thee once at my house, and to 

 show thee my garden. My Billy is gone from me to learn to be a 

 merchant, in Philadelphia, and I hope a choice good place, too 

 (Gaptain Ghilds). I showed him thy letter, and he was so well 

 pleased with it, that he presently made a packet of very fine drawings 

 for thee, far beyond Gatesby's, took them to town, and told me he 

 would send them very soon. I was then in a poor state of health : 

 but am now well recovered. We very gratefully receive thy kind 

 remembrance, and my two dear friends, thy father and mother. I 

 want once more to climb the Katskills ; but I think it is not safe to 

 venture these troublesome times. 



"I have had several kinds of the Coclileata, or Snail Trefoil, and 

 Trigonella, or Fenugreek ; but, being annual plants, they are gone off. 

 The species of Persicary thee mentions, is what Tournefort brought 

 from the three churches, at the foot of Mount Ararat. 



"The Atnorpha is a beautiful flower ; but whether won't your cold 

 winters kill it? 



* Darlington. Memorials, 202. 



f Linnaeus. 



X Darlington. Memorials, 400. 



