[ 473* ] 



even of our nation, to fet his foot in their part of America, even 

 for fcientific purpofes e . 



Notwithftanding this perpetual diftruft of this country in the 

 -Spaniards, and our prefent war with them, I will venture to 

 fay, that an attack upon the city or province of Mexico, would 

 not be advifable on our part. If the Spaniards indeed acted 

 wifely, they mould themfelves abandon it, for the mines 



e The tranfaction. I here allude to is the following, Lord Morton, 

 as Prefident of the Royal Society, applied to the then Spanifh ambaf- 

 fador at our Court in 1766, for leave that an Englifh Aftronomer might 

 •obferve the Tranfit of Venus (expected in 1769) on feme part of Cali- 

 fornia. This was however refufed, when his Lordfhip requefted, that 

 Father Bofcowich, a foreigner and good Cqtholick, might have the fame 

 permiffion; in which he was at firft more fuccefsful, but the favour 

 was even then granted with many clogs, and the per.ni. on at laft re- 

 called, on account of his being a Jefuit, who were at that time banifhed 

 from Old and New Spain. 



At the fame time Chappe Dauteroche obtained this permiffion, and 

 for the fame purpofe ; the confequence of which hath been, that a dr t 

 of the city of Mexico, in its prefent ftate, was found amongft his 

 papers, and publifhed by his Catholic Majefty's good allies, the French, 

 tor the information of his enemies. 



I once applied myfelf to the late Prince Mafferano (fo defervediy 

 efteemed whilft rcfident as Minifter of Spain in England) that an in- 

 genious German, named Kukahn *, might be permitted, under any 

 reftriclions, to go from La Vera Cruz, to any part of the province of 

 Mexico, merely to collect fpecimens of Natural Hiftory. I was aifo re- 

 fponfible that he never would attend to any thing, during his journies, 

 but the animals he might meet with. Though I made this application 

 •by a channel which his excellency would have been defirous to obiige, 

 yet he excufed himfelf, from its being a fundamental rule with the 

 Court of Spain, that no foreigner be permitted to pafs through any part 

 -of their dominions on the continent of America. 



* See an account of his method of preferving animals, and placing them in their 

 proper attitudes. (Ph. Tranf.) He is now eitabliihed in Jamaica, and hath iucceeded in 

 jailing many European fruits, as a lfo produces of our kitchen -gardens, in forne ground 

 which he hath purchafed, about half way up a mountain, 



*Ooo 5 within 



