312 SALE OF THE LINN.EA1SI COLLECTIONS. 



mother and sisters of the deceased were anxious to make as large a 

 " profit as they could of his museum, and therefore within a few weeks 

 after his death employed Dr. John Gustavus Acrel, Professor of 

 Medicine at Upsal, to offer the whole colleftion of books, manu- 

 scripts and natural history, to Sia Joseph Banks, foir the sum of 

 1000 guineas (1050 pounds sterling). 



" Dr. Acrel wrote to Dr. Engelhart the younger, now Professor 



at Gottenburgh, and who was then in London, to make this offer to 

 " Sir Joseph Banks. It happened, that I breakfasted at Sir Joseph's 

 ^ that very day, which was December 23, 1783, and he told me of the 

 " offer he had, saying he should decline it, and advising me strongly 

 " to make the purchase, as a thing suitable to my taste, and which 

 " would do me honour, 



*' At that time we knew very litde of what the colleftions consisted. 



When the catalogue of the books and other particulars were after- 

 " wards sent, they proved much richer than either Sir Joseph Banks 

 " or myself had any idea of; but I ought not to omit, that Sir Joseph 

 " afled throughout the affair with the utmost honour and liberality, 

 " (for which indeed he is very remarkable] always encouraging me in 

 « every difficulty with his advice and assistance. On the 23d of 



December I made my desire known to my friend, Dr. Engel- 

 " HART, with whom I had been intimately acquainted at Edinburgh, 

 *' and we both wrote the same day to Professor Acrel, desiring a cata- 

 « logue of the whole, and saying, that if it answered my expetlations, I 



would be the purchaser at the price fixed. 



In this affair I trusted to the honour of Professor Acrel alone, nor 

 " did I apply to any body else, to take care of my interest in the mat- 



«ter. 



