CHAPTER XI.

Correspondence of the Abbé Joseph Corrêa de Serra.

AMONG those friends of Sir James Smith, who were created such at first sight by the magic sympathy of natural science, the Abbé Joseph Corrêa de Serra must be placed foremost. He was a botanist of the first rank; and the reader may recollect that his acquaintance with Sir James began at M. de Jussieu's at Paris, and that they afterwards met at Rome.

The Abbé Corrêa was a man of great genius and penetration, of good family and connexions; but, although a priest, appears to have fallen under the suspicion of the Inquisition. The particulars are involved in obscurity, yet some light may be thrown upon them by the letters which immediately follow. The first is from M. Broussonet, to whose acquaintance Sir James was first introduced at Edinburgh.

From M. Broussonet.

Mon cher Smith,

Saragosse, 29 Juillet 1794.

Persécuté en France et pret à y périr, je me sauve à travers les plus grands dangers en Espagne, et je desire pouvoir me rendre en Angleterre pour passer

ensuite l'Amérique Septentrionale, où j'ai envoyé quelques marchandises, dont le produit me fera vivre jusques à ce que je gagne quelque chose en fesant la médecine, ou en donnant les leçons d'histoire naturelle. Je me rends dans ce moment à Cadiz, où je voudrois trouver une passage sur un vaisseau de guerre Anglais ou sur une frigate.

Peut-être même pourrais-je passer à Gibraltar ou à Lisbonne; mais je crains que les fonds ne viennent à me manquer, n'ayant pas pu en emporter beaucoup de France. Je me suis adressé au Chev. Banks, je le prie de me procurer de passage sur quelque vaisseau de la marine royale: je tremble que ma lettre ne le trouve dans le Lincolnshire. Veuille bien, mon bon ami, l'engager à prendre intérêt à ma situation; elle est réellement digne de pitié.

Envoyez-moi des lettres pour Gibraltar, pour Lisbonne. Aidez-moi à me tirer de la position bien malheureuse où je suis. J'ai été nourri dans le malheur; je puis me contenter de peu; la table même des matelots me conviendra. Si vous pouvez me prêter quelque chose, vous me rendrez un véritable service; il me faut peu, et encore même ce ne sera que pour le passage. Les marchandises que j'ai à Baltimore, les effets que j'ai assurés en France, enfin mon frère et mes sœurs vous repondront de la bonté de ma dette. Je ne connois que vous et le Chev. Banks à qui je puisse m'adresser dans cette occasion. Adieu, mon cher Smith; plaignez-moi, mais n'abandonnez pas

Votre Ami,

AUG. BROUSSONET.

N. Ecrivez-moi aussi sous deux envellopes, la première Aug. Broussonet, la seconde Don Antonio Cavanilles, Hotel del' Infantado en Madrid.

Ecrivez-moi; ce sera une grande consolation.

Adieu!

Sir,

From J. T. Koster, Esq.

Lisbon, Oct. 23, 1794.

By desire of Dr. Withering, to whose good advice on the score of health during the two winters he resided among us here I am much indebted, I send you a specimen of the Creeping Fig with its fruit. Mr. Masson, with whom I had the pleasure of being acquainted here some years ago, I think called it Ficus pumila; but my worthy friend the Abbé Corrêa calls it Ficus repens: it grows abundantly and luxuriantly in the green-house at the Royal Botanic Garden near this city, covering the trellis on the inside the glass to the very top.

I had the pleasure of seeing the Abbé yesterday afternoon, who called upon me, and brought with him the unfortunate M. Broussonet: this gentleman came in a merchant-ship from Cadiz, under convoy of the America and two frigates on their way to England; but having heard of many French cruizers being out, who have taken another of our packets, he is afraid of proceeding. I have done everything in my power, at the Abbé's earnest request, to get a passage for him in the King's ship; but Captain Rodney's orders are so strict against carrying French passengers, that he could not con

sent to it. They both begged that I would make this circumstance known to you, and desired to be remembered. M. Broussonet had been at the botanic garden, and seen this plant, which he also specifies by the name of repens.

The specimen is packed in a small paper box stuffed with cotton wool, and directed for you. Sir Henry Vane, Bart., who is a passenger in the America, has kindly taken charge of it, and will deliver it to you, if in his power.

I wrote to Dr. Withering some time ago, and told him that the plant would produce its fruit about this time; and in his answer he expresses a wish that the specimen might be sent dried to you; and it is fortunate that so good an opportunity should immediately offer.

After having mentioned to you these four names, I am confident it would be superfluous to make any apology for troubling you with a letter.

I am, with very great respect, Sir,

Your most obedient and most humble Servant, JOHN THEODORE KOSTER.

From the same.

Lisbon, Jan. 25, 1795.

Sir, I received the honour of your letter of the 16th of December by the packet that arrived the 15th instant, and it was exceedingly unfortunate that she did not come in a few days sooner. M. Broussonet

might then have gone in the Boston frigate, and his stay here has been the cause of great mortification and real detriment to our friend the Abbé Corrêa.

I explained to Sir Joseph Banks that his presence here gave umbrage to the two emigrant Dukes of Luxemburg and Coigny, and that they had applied to the court to have him sent away. Since that time still more noise has been made about it, and it has been contrived to supersede the Abbé in a lucrative and honourable place, which had been promised him, that of public librarian; and he still apprehends other disagreeable consequences: not that I imagine poor M. Broussonet is the real cause, any further than that the Abbé's enemies have eagerly seized upon the opportunity, and alleged his attachment to Mons. B. as a proof of their former slanderous accusations. It is true that our friend the Abbé has been rather too unguarded in expressing his political opinions in such a country as this. Under a weak, irresolute, though arbitrary prince, surrounded by a corrupt, ignorant, bigoted, intriguing court, what else can be expected? It happens too, very unfortunately, that the Duke de Lafoens*is confined in a violent fit of the gout, or he might in some measure have stemmed the torrent.

In consequence of Sir J. Banks's recommendation, I am sure Mr. Walpole would readily undertake it, and could certainly protect Mons. B., and obtain leave for him to stay here as long as convenient; but you may judge of M. Broussonet's feelings on

* John de Braganza, uncle to the Queen of Portugal.