at English Botany, and make many notes useful even for you here as in Marlborough-street. Moreover, by sleeping out one night I would make you mow Saxifraga Hirculus, gather Carex leporina, Linn., &c. When I think how possible, how easy the execution, of all this might be, I am almost out of my senses for joy on thinking, hoping the time will come, as much dejected with the fear of my passing to another world, before you can contrive to come here.

"Orchis abortiva and coriophora are within a moderate walk of my house!! But I have also the Alps daily before my eyes, and I know what might be done there. I wait for you, and then!!!-I WILL return. Had I but the certainty of seeing this part of my plan realized, I should bear with patience the circumstances which render impossible a visit to my native land."

It was to Mr. Davall that Sir James was indebted for an introduction to the Marchioness of Rockingham, who continued her friendly attentions and correspondence till her death in 1804. At her residence at Hillingdon he enjoyed many delightful visits, and heard many anecdotes of her illustrious husband.

The memory of this great statesman was cherished by her with a fondness that delighted in speaking of him to those she esteemed, and in connecting some reminiscence of him with every pursuit of her life.

The following letter from her, though a little

anticipated, as its date will show, shall be inserted first. It was written only two years before her death; but the share the noble Marquis has in it will excuse its being out of place.

The Marchioness of Rockingham to J. E. Smith.

Hillingdon House, May 21, 1802.

What shall I say to my good friend Dr. Smith, who is always showing me attentions which I am very unworthy of? But it is only seeming; for I am in reality always much pleased and gratified by the remembrance of those I esteem, though my untoward health will not often allow me to express it; and I am so little conscious of any neglect of the mind, that without hesitation I will beg that, when you come again to London, you will steal a day from your business to let me see you at this place; for it is a long time since I had that satisfaction. I had mislaid your letter, and have been hunting in my drawers all day; I have at last found it, and inexpressibly ashamed I am to see the date; and not only so, but to see that that very letter of November is complaining of my silence. I can only repeat the same, -that my conscience stands clear of ever forgetting a friend, or intentionally neglecting one: but I am free to acknowledge that I may give way too much to those incapacities that so frequently come upon me, even in the slender exertion of writing a letter. Poor Mr. Spragg would have said, Oh! a nervous affection; but my correspondents (I think) have greater reason to say, a nervous disaffection.-But

what is to be said now! for thus far I had wrote, before this day brought me another very pleasing mild letter from Dr. Smith, who might justly reprove me sharply:—but I will still trust my cause to himself, who knows how journaliere my health has long been. You had congratulated me upon the blessing of peace; and I thought when I received your first letter, how soon I would answer it in the same sentiment, and say a great deal, the loss of which you have no cause to lament. I believe nobody's mind composes more epistles than mine, for it is always full of thoughts that I wish to utter to my particular friends; but they generally have the good luck to escape them. As you are coming to London, might I hope that you will let me see you before you leave it again?

I do not know in what manner you celebrate your Linnæan anniversary; nor did I know the day of the month till your letter mentioned it. How much it would gratify me, if a certain name could be without impropriety mentioned at that meeting! He might truly be called a rising botanist of great promise; for his mind had the happiness of taking a most comprehensive view of a subject at one glance, which seemed to require ages of investigation. He was a most attached disciple of Linnæus: his collection of plants and books was valuable and elegant, as far as it had gone; and the 24th of May was his birthday. I do think that my friend Dr. Smith and (perhaps) Sir Joseph Banks would find a moment at their feast to drink a small bumper to the

memory of this true brother in their science; as great a friend and encourager of science, and himself as near perfection in every line of life and character as human nature ever admitted of.

You will excuse this sally of zeal upon my observing that the 24th of May happened to be your anniversary, and will not treat it with any attention that may be inconvenient. It was an impulse of the heart that I could not restrain.

My dear Sir, I have many thanks to offer (too long postponed) for your kind present of excellent dried fruit and biscuits; the latter are, I perceive, recovering their peculiar taste and good qualitywhich I will now venture to say were quite gone. Those cruel times of real or pretended scarcity ruined every sort of eatables where flour was concerned; neither do I think that bread or any other flour compositions have yet been in, nor perhaps ever will return to, the same perfection as before.

The sermon you were so good as to send me is excellent; it must (as it were) have compelled a large collection;-in its address to the congregation*, I think it puts me in mind of something in Saurin. I venture to pay in your own coin, by sending you a sermon preached before many dignitaries of the Church at a visitation, by a great friend of mine, whom you have seen at Hillingdon, upon

• A Sermon preached at the Octagon Chapel, Norwich, August 30, 1801, for the Benefit of the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, by the Rev. Pendlebury Houghton,-from the text: "I was sick, and ye visited me." Matth. ch. xxv. ver. 36.

a subject I think I may call the parent of yours, as piety and sound doctrine must of course produce charity and benevolence.

in

I have insensibly wrote two sheets of paper stead of one, and neither of them is very legible; for my poor eyes are far from recovered of that uneasy complaint in the lids:-reading or writing always occasions an unpleasant sensation to the cyes and across the forehead.

Dear Sir,

Your very sincere and obliged humble Servant, M. ROCKINGHAM.

This letter and the preceding passage from one of Mr. Davall's later epistles will serve as introductions to the following correspondence, beginning sixteen years earlier than that of the Marchioness's here inserted.

The Marchioness of Rockingham to J. E. Smith.

Hillingdon House, Dec. 10, 1788.

The Portlandia flowers that I had the pleasure of sending to Dr. Smith yesterday were, I hope, moderately worthy of a place in an herbarium; but the first was so little so, that I was quite unwilling to send it. The evening coach yesterday brought me your packet, and I am quite at a loss how to express my thankfulness for the extreme obliging attention you have paid to my botanical library, in completing the works of Linnæus by so scarce a volume, which I should have despaired of obtaining; but I