these seeds, or these animalcula, (for they are evidently distinct bodies,) to turn into Fungi, Mucores, or Lycoperda? This is what I do not comprehend in this new discovery. If the animalcula, that moved the seeds of the Lycoperdon, it would be amazing; and again, it would be as surprising that the seeds of one genus should produce another; for instance, that the seeds of Lycoperda should produce Mucores. However, I have determined to go through these experiments with precision, and to call in witnesses of the several appearances.

I have not yet got any of the Ustilago. If you will be so good as to send me a Spike of Corn infected with it, proper for trial, you may depend on me in carefully going through the experiments properly.

I have made some observations lately on a small kind of Lumbricus, which serves as food for the Hydra, or fresh water polype of Trembley. I cut these small worms into three or four pieces, and they all have grown into perfect animals. Dr. Solander (who is obliged to you for your kind enquiry after his health) has examined them, at my chambers to day, in the microscope, and was surprised at their structure. They differ quite from the Lumbricus terrestris, and approach near to the Taenia. I have wrote to James Gordon for some seeds of the Ellisia in their capsules. As soon as I get them, will send them to you.

'I hope you have got the Actinia radicans, and the things I sent you by Captain Robenius. I long to have your thoughts on this Actinia; it differs very little from the Sertularia.

'I find by your last edition of the Syst. Anim. that you look on the stem of the Gorgonias to be vegetable. I differ in opinion, and intend to write a letter particularly on that subject, as I have had many opportunities, from seeing different specimens, together with chemical and microscopical enquiries, to prove them as different almost as the Dendrites, or the crystallization of Sal Ammoniac, from vegetables. Pray let your young gentlemen examine the vesicles, or ovaries (as Pallas would have them) of the Antipathes; for to me they approach nearer to the Gorgonia, as you have placed them, than to the Sertularia; and what I have seen are no more than some extraneous bodies, which have adhered to them, being partly covered with their spiny skin, and have formed little irregular turbinated cups, here and there, on the branches, not in that regular shape and manner that the Sertularia have their vesicles.

You may depend upon it I shall always attend to your commands, and shall not make light of these enquiries; you shall always find me your most affectionate friend, and that I shall always acknowlege myself indebted to you, for the many useful observations that you have been so kind to communicate to me, by your letters as well as your writings. My best wishes attend you. I am, with great respect, your most obedient servant, JOHN ELLIS.

I wish you would send your son next spring to England. I will do him all the service in my power,'

Dr. Garden's

Dr. Garden's correspondence is valuable chiefly as it bespeaks the indefatigable industry, the modesty, and the obliging dispositions of that excellent inan: but we much desiderate Linné's answers to his letters. The Doctor's cpistolary intercourse with Mr. Ellis is somewhat more unbroken; and the ensuing transcript will shew that the grave naturalist could still attend to his packages, and their contents, on the day of his marriage.

I have wrote [written] to Dr. Schlosser, whose correspondence, from the character that you give of him, must be extremely advantageous to me. I have sent his letter inclosed to you, as I did not know his particular address. If a correspondence can be got with Professor Allemand, and Van Royen, or Jussieu at Paris, all my desires would be fulfilled. You will be surprized at finding so short a letter, but when I tell you that this night I expect to be matrimonized, which affair has of late employed most of my thoughts, you may easily believe I have no great goût for writing in the manner in which I propose to answer your kind letters, which answer you may expect in a few weeks by some of our first ships. Just now I have sent you a large box of curious trees; they are all fine thriving young plants, and will flower very soon. I am in great hopes that they will answer your expectations, and my intentions; they are very carefully packed up, and are in number 90 in all. I have likewise sent you a box of well cured seeds, which I hope will likewise arrive in good order. You have inclosed a list of them, and of the young plants. I am afraid that Capt. Ball will not take the young plants, as he is so full, though they be now on board of him; but to-morrow I will order them on board of the Prince George, Capt. Bostock, if they be not well provided in a good berth with Capt. Ball; so that I must beg that you will be so good as to enquire after them, as I cannot write you more particularly just now. The box of seeds comes with Capt. Ball, which will arrive in time. I must beg that you will be kind enough to present my eompliments and thanks to Mr. Christopher Gray for his very obliging present, and assure him that I will do my best to supply him with some things, and I hope he may think these a specimen. But absence for nigh two months in the summer time, and then an affair of love commencing on my return, prevented me from attending much to my studies or collections this fall. You may expect some very fine plants of the Beureria, and the flesh-coloured flowered Acacia, which I have had in boxes for several months, but I do not chuse to risk so many on one bottom. You may likewise expect a letter pretty often, and some new genera. Frequent letters from you is the greatest pleasure that I enjoy. I have wrote to Mr. Baker by this vessel, and will soon write again; and to Dr. Hales and Mr. Shipley. I am now busied in copying over my journal to Saluda this last summer, which I shall send soon.

The French war quite puts me in the hyp, as I can easily see it will prevent my hearing from you as often as I could wish, and vessels

vessels going home heavy loaded are much apter to fall into their hands than those outward bound. I hurry away to meet the parson and my dear girl, and must bid you adieu, and remain with the sincerest esteem, dear Sir, your most obliged and very humble servant, 6 ALEXANDER Garden.

< I could have sent you more seeds, but Mr. Saxby told me that he was this day putting a parcel on board for you, which I assisted him in collecting.'

The Doctor's style is occasionally drawling and provincial: but we should recollect that his hurried letters, often penned during a precarious state of health, or in the midst of a toilsome routine of medical practice, were never intended to meet the public eye; and yet, had they been submitted to the press at the period in which they were written, they could scarcely have failed to arrest the attention of all who were in the slightest degree tinctured with a desire of contemplating the works of nature. The refreshing conjunction, also, of mental sagacity with generous and refined friendship, which they uniformly exhibit, imparts to them the more durable charms which are associated with the constitution of our species.

The second volume commences with a short account of Dr. Solander, respecting whom we are rather surprized by one or two traits which are here developed. What shall we say of the filial affection of the man who could allow letters from his mother to be unopened while he lived? Or of the philanthropy of him who could talk with unbecoming levity of the cannibalism of savages? M. Marion and a party of his crew had ventured on shore, in the bay of Motuaro, and the consequence,' we are told, was, that he himself and twenty-five of his men were killed, and in all probability afforded the inhabitants a good meal.' Again, when mentioning the unfortunate fate of some of Captain Furneaux's people, he says, they wwere cut into up The few samples of the corproper joints. respondence of Dr. Stephen Hales manifest the simplicity and worth of a patriotic mind, invariably directed to objects of real utility, and to the diffusion of health and comfort among the members of the community.

John Ford, Esq., nephew of Mr. Ellis, writes in a sprightly and rambling manner, and evidently under the influence of Hibernian versatility and humor: but John James Dillenius quickly recalls us to the more sedate discussions of the naturalist. In his letters we occasionally meet with that precision which so eminently characterizes his descriptions of the mosses, but also with frivolous or erroneous conjectures, and REV. MAY, 1822.

D

some

centric but eloquent being, be in the original; for the re so insusceptible of ade

Paris, le 21 Septembre, 1771. hommage d'un très ignare mais doit en grande partie à la médont il jouit, au milieu d'une 'elle est plus cachée, et qu'elle et de l'amitié la plus terrible Seul avec la nature et vous, je res des heures délicieuses, et je osophia Botanica que de tous joye que je ne vous suis pas tout bien même me destiner quelques rsuadé, Monsieur, qu'elles feront sir deviendra plus vif encore par ema vieille enfance à faire une ines. Si parmi vos tresors en ce uts dont vous voulussiez faire un je les recevrois, Monsieur, avec e je puisse vous offrir, mais que le digne de vous. Adieu, Monsieur,

aux hommes le livre de la nature. quelques mots à votre suite dans le lis, je vous étudie, je vous médite,

6 J. J. ROUSSEAU.'

n our readers the editor's feeling on a letter addressed to himself by which closes the collection of this rrespondence.

ng from a man of such distinguished is so valuable a commentary on several present volume, that the editor could not blic. He must rely on the favour of his e to a foolish vanity this exposure of what on to his own sentiments, while it disge, the indulgence, and the unassuming he hand that traced these lines is no e and encourage every lover of science; otley crowd, of which science formed. away. The lasting monument of botalicious and classical plan so interesting a ne first of Sir Joseph Banks's letters to the been sacrificed to the duties incumbent, for J, on the active and truly efficient President y. Its loss would ill have been supplied by usoleum of marble; and even this mausoleum D 2

has