wil save for him as many of the Seeds he desires as I can procure, and allsoe will take care that specimens be dryed for him, according to his request; and if I can hear of any oppertunity of sending him Plants for the Garden, I wil not neglect it. I desire my best service may be acceptable to him, and my thanks for the Seeds, which I shall take perticular care of. The Frittilaries you sent last Autumn, which I almost despaired of, do now appear much better then I expected; few of them are quite lost, and one halfe of them are now in flower: there are some odd varietys amongst them which are raised from seed. The six Oriental Hyacinths you sent are all now in theire glory, and are very beautyfull. You may now perhaps observe some bulbs in flower, which you may thinke worth sending in theire propper season. Of Tulips I have lost my whole stock; of Narcissus's I have very few sorts; there are a great variety of Hyacinths of several species, which I have observed in Holland; and I have very few of any kind of Crocuses. I have formerly seen great varieties in Holland, particularly of the yellow kind, of which I have not above three, and no double ones of any kind. If there be any other bulbs that you meet with that are beautyfull, you may send them with the rest; but I would have none that are tender, or require much care, nor that are dear. You wil not forget the large Snowdrop; it flowers later than the rest, except the summer one, it may be Leucoium bulbosum majus tribus petalis albis majoribus; it is larger than the rest of the vernal Leucoiums. "Dr. Chambers called here on Wednesday last in his returne from Manchester; but was in great hast to get to Hull, where he tels me he is fully imployed. He only stayed diner. I asked him if he had any account from the last Hague auction, what was procured for us; he said he had not. I asked him about Salvianus; he told me that he had procured two several coppies for me, but was forced to returne them, being both imperfect; but that he had now got a good one for me, which would cost about 28 guilders, which is not dear. He has got for me Cooper's Anatomy; the figures are the finest and most exact of any thing in that kind now extant, and it is grown very scarce. He says that he can procure for me 'Bellonius de Aquatilibus.' There are some other bookes he has now by him, which he will send me at his return.-Peggy came last night from Cosin Ferrand's; our friends there and at Kildwicke are all wel. She sets out for the Grange to-morrowe morning, from whence we lately heard that they are in good health. You have mine and your Mother's blessing, with Peggy's best service. Ric. RICHARDSON." North Bierley, Jan. 2, 1732. "It is not many days, since we had the happynes of receiving yours, by which we are glad to hear of yours and your Brother's* health. I stil continue under confinement, though I have this day "DEAR DICK, * Afterwards William Richardson, M. D. See p. 242. with my wife's assistance walked out of my lodging-roome into the study, which gives me hopes that as the warme weather grows upon us I shall be fit to get abroad. "I have at last received Cooper's Anatomy, and have paid for it 51. 10s. It is a gloriouse performance, nothing can be performed with more neatnes and accuracy than this worke. "About three weeks agoe I got a letter from Dr. Sherard, wherein he tels me that the 'Hortus Elthamensis' was published, and that there was one at my service at Dr. Dillenius's lodgings; and desires me to write to the Doctor, which I accordingly did, and ordered it to be hansomly bound. A few days agoe I received it, with Micheli's 'Nova Plantarum Genera,' which had layn at Dr. Dillenius's for some time. The 'Hortus Elthamensis' is a noble booke, in two vols. folio, larger than the 'Hortus Amstoladamensis,' and much after the same methode, concisting only of figures and discriptions of Plants Dr. Dillenius designed in Eltham garden, alphabetically digested. Dr. Dillenius prints it at his own expence: the figures seem to be good, and their discriptions very acurate; and those Plants which have been imperfectly described and dubiouse he has amended; and has taken much pains in rightly adjusting theire Synonyma. Micheli's ‘Nova Plantarum Genera' has required much pains; but I thinke his curiosity has caryed him too far, and that he has made more new genera then there is occasion for, and I am afraid has been too nice in distinguishing species; 'tis a booke of great curiosity, and his Synonyma seem to be very just; he designs to print a second volume, chiefly of Submarine Plants. I received your cargoe at last from Hull; viz. 2 dozen of Tulip roots, 6 Hyacinths, and the same number of Gladiolus, all in good order, with the Professor's letter, and his verses 'De Sexu et Connubio Plantarum.' If there be any particular way of managing the double-flower'd Tuberose more then is usual in the single one, I desire you would learne it, and send them away along with the Seeds by the first oppertunity, that they may be committed to the ground in time.—I have heard nothing of Salvianus of late. I know he has it, but he wil make the best penny of it. I must have it after some time, with some other bookes he has a mind to dispose of. Bellonius de Aquatilibus' he has not, nor I thinke many more I want in my way. I am afraid you wil find it a difficult matter to get any quantity of bookes into England at once; you must box them up in parcells, and get the Rector Magnificus's licence, which wil exempt them from paying any duty in Holland.-We have lost our neighboure Sir J. Armitage. He died that day five weekes after his nephewe, but not so much lamented. Sir George is coming to Kirkeley almost quite lame and blind: what wil become of that family it wil be difficult to tel. The family at the Grange are wel. Cosin Thornton's family with Mr. Foxley have been there some time. Sir John [Kaye] has often declared how desirouse he is to hear from you. Our friends at Kildwicke are wel. Your Sister Peggy is now at Yorke. Coz. Rookes 1 Rookes is at Yorke this winter with her family; they were all very desirouse to have your Sister with them for some time, since they had such convenience for her. "You and your Brother have mine and Wife's blessing. Jack is at present our only companion; he is grown a fine thoughtfull boy, and learns wel: he is very much at his Brother's service. "You wil find by this scrible how willing I am, though scarce able to write, which I know you wil be so good as excuse in "Your affectionate Father, "DEAR DICK, RIC. RICHARDSON." "'Tis now about a forthnight since I received the box of bookes, which came hither in good order. I find a great many not mentioned in the list you formerly sent me, and alsoe a considerable number you mention which are not sent. The Officers at Hull allowed them to pas at 300 weight bound bookes, and 200 weight unbound, though the box was almost double: the Custome came to about 2. 18s. 6d. and the fraught from Holland 10s. 6d. as Mr. Whaley agreed with the Captaine of the vessel. Not many days agoe I received yours of May the 5th, in which I find that you have made some farther addition to my bookes in Botany, &c. I am glad you have not bought the bookes you mention at so dear a rate; they may perhaps be pickt up at a more favourable price before Will leaves Holland. I bought Historia Plantarum, Lugduni, Rouvel,' 2 vols. folio, in an auction in good condition for ten gilders, which you wil find in my Catalogue of bookes. 'Salvianus de Aquatilibus' is not often met with, and the rest you mentioned are scarce bookes. If you please, you may procure Dr. Bentley's Terence; it is looked upon to be the best edition we have. "I am now in a pretty good state of health, since the warme weather came in; the greatest failing I now find to myselfe is in my leggs, which are stil so weake that walking is troublesome to me, and I fear it wil be hard to shake of, though I can walke to the Fish-ponds, which are now in theire glory, where we have an appearance of plenty of fruite. Your brother Henry* has been here about three wekes; he is very wel, and is this day gon to Kildwicke with his Sister. Poor Dr. Stanhope has been very much out of health, and is yet in a poor state "Underneath you wil have orders to Mr. Whaley and Mr. Hudigh for credit for a hundred pounds, of which you may take what you have occasion for, and Will the rest when he wants it. Our friends at the Grange and Kildwicke are wel. "You and your Brother have mine and your Mother's blessing; and service from your Brother and Sister, and Mr. Smith, who sets out for London on Monday sevennight along with cosin Ned Rookes, who is to be put Clerke to a Solicitor there for four years. "I am your affectionate Father, RIC. RICHARDSON." * The Doctor's fourth son. See p. 242. to "DEAR DICKY, Bierley, May 6, 1733. "I thanke you for your last; it is allways a great satisfaction to us to here of yours and Willy's good healthes. I hope your good Father gains some recovery every day, since warm weather came in: he was yeasterday (upon an earnest request from Cosin Grace Ramsden) at Hawksworth, to wait upon her; and he has been twice at Dr. Stanhope's, who has been indisposed all the Spring: your Father hopes he will recover. He has given out that he has made his will, and left him the furniture of his Garden, which is kind; but I heartily wish him his health long to enjoy it, for ours is pritty well stockt. He allways inquires very kindly of you and your Brother; and, upon account of his former civilities to you, I have often wisht, when you have any thing to send hither, that you could add any thing that could be acceptable to him. "You will find your Father's letter was designed for the last post; but, as I was desireous to go to Grange to see and consult your Sister Kaye about the Delf and Linen, I beg'd he wud defer it. I found her and Sir John very well, and presented your service. They return theirs, and drank both your good healths. I believe a few lines from you would obleidge Sir John: he proposes going into Craven next week, and will take my Brother Currer and Harry along with him to Thornton, to view the Parsonage, and to consult about repairs or alterations there, that some preparation (at least) may be made towards the doing what is requesit next sommer, against Harry be qualified for the liveing. The Doctor should accompany them, if he was able; but that I much fear. He intends to try a journey to Grange in a few days." "DEAR DICK, North Bierley, Oct. 29, 1733. "We had the pleasure of yours some time agoe, and are glad to hear of your good health. I received a letter from your Brother in Holland not long since. He gave me notice that he had sent the Delfe ware to Hull, which we received here a fewe days agoe with no considerable damage. Along with it came a Flower-piece, which neither you nor your Brother mentions, which Dr. Chambers got put up in a case, lest it should be damaged, and directed it hither along with the rest. -You may perhaps meet with the Memoirs of the Academy of Sciences' at a reasonable rate before you leave Paris. 'Montfaucon's Antiquities,' Paris edition, I am informed is sold much dearer than when it was printed. "Sir John Kaye was here not long agoe, to whom I deliver'd Pitiscus's Lexicon, &c. 2 vols. He intends to write to you. "Dr. Short, a Physitian at Shefield, has lately published a Treatise of Mineral Waters of Yorkshire, Lancashire, Lincolnshire, and Derbyshire. He has visited all the remarkable waters mentioned by Dr. Lister and Dr. Leigh, and several other waters not taken notice of by any one. He has taken much pains in ma king experiments, not only by different mixtures with the waters, but alsoe by evaporation; and seems to have been very exact and perticulare in his inquiries, and has made several very conciderable discoveries discoveries not taken notice of before.-Poor Cosin Rookes is stil alive, but in so weake a condition that she cannot continue many days. Ned Rookes is now at London, and Clerke to a Solicitor in Gray's Inn: his mother seems very desirouse he should continue there; but I fear, after his mother's death, he wil not be prevailed upon to stay at London; and I wish he may not renewe his acquaintance with his old companions, which he was but too fond of before he left Yorkshire, which is not many months agoe. I cannot forbeare acquainting you with one piece of newse, which I am sure you wil be sory to hear; viz. the unfortunate death of Sir John Stapylton: he had been at diner at Sir Edward Gascoyne's, and was going to Bramham, to Mr. Foxes (who married Lord Bingley's daughter). His horse was frightened with something in the hedge, and leaped from under him: his servant asked him if he was not hurt; he said, he hoped not, but ordered that servant to catch his horse, who left another man with him; but when the servant returned Sir John was dead. Sir John was prevailed upon to offer himselfe a Candidate for our County in conjunction with Mr. Turner, as is reported; Sir G. Savile declines standing; and Sir Rowland Wynne is now become a candidate. I wish Sir J. Kaye may not be drawn in to offer his service; who has been so kind as to send over his Brewer, who has been with us for some time, in order to fill our sellers with good malt liquoure, though we have now by us a conciderable quantity that is two years old and very good. Sir J. Stapylton and Mr. Lister of Westby were godfathers to Master Kaye, about a month agoe; the child was called Lister, who thrives very wel. I thought our County could not afford two more agreable gentlemen then the godfathers. "I am sory that you cannot give a better account of the Physick-garden at Paris, of which there has been more Catalogues writ than of any one garden in Europe, Tournefort's Schola Botanica Horti Regii Parisiensis,' I thinke, is the last; out of which you wil find, on the back of this, a list chiefly which the Author observed on the Alps and Pyrenees. Seeds of any of them wil be welcome here. Amongst the rest I have sent you an account of the Cistuses I want; but have not named any Helianthemums. Our friends at "Last Monday Harry set out for Oxford. the Grange and Kildwicke are wel. Mr. Smith is here, who sends you his service. Your Sister's attend you with mine and your Mother's blessing. We all thinke the Delfe very pretty. Your Mother returns you thankes for them, as your Sister does for your letter, and intends to answer it very shortly, if you continue at Paris. Sir John appears to be very wel pleased with the bookes. Your Brother Tom is gon to Kildwicke, to spend the winter with his two little cosins, and to go to schoole with them. I am your affectionate father, RIC. RICHARDSON." Dr. |