London under a different name: I fear it will be long before the naturalists agree to our method of naming, &c. I have been with M. De Bure to-day, who says he has not heard of a map of North America which you mention. I will endeavor to send two of your Arrangements to Werner, though I have but one left out of the four you sent. One I gave the National Library, another to Le Levre, one of the council of mines, and one to Father Pini, the director of mines in Italy: the fourth I have, and it is never with me, owing to my lending it. I have been liberal to some characters here; but it does not seem to me that they can part with any thing, except the Abbé Haüy: for instance, I have given many of this council of mines and professors, a variety of articles without receiving one single return. That I do not mind: they probably are poor, and value their rocks more than I do. Say in your next if I shall send you a small box direct. The appearance of these rocks, in such fine order and so well marked, is striking: you shall have as fine a collection of rocks as any in Europe in a short time. I will endeavor, with your permission, to make your collection a child of my own. I will get Dolomieu's last voyage. Wisar was here when I arrived, with an interesting collection which he could not sell: he gave them away. Unfortunately, I did not meet with him, but have bought some of his affairs from others. M. De Bure informs me the communication betwixt Madrid and here is not very difficult he has many Spanish books, but no cata logue: he seems a very intelligent and obliging man he does not know if the numbers of the travels now publishing in Spain can be had separate. I will omit no opportunity of using every means to procure you the information you request, and beg for an answer as soon as possible. MR. MAWE TO MR. PINKERTON. Paris, May 14th, 1802. I this day received your esteemed favor dated the 4th. I am exceedingly hurt that I should write any thing to give you a moment's uneasiness. I too plainly see your mind is much hurt, and would do any thing could I administer any relief. I beg leave to assure you, my dear Sir, that your letter was construed in the true sense of genuine friendship, which demands my sincerest thanks. My letter to you in the book was intended to convey a sense of my own ignorance, and the improvement I hoped to make by your correspondence. Whatever I may have written was written with the purest intentions; and I never felt myself more happy in offering my poor services to you than at this moment. I am sensible, Sir, how these matters hurt your nerves and prey upon your feelings, which in the end must have a serious effect on your health. I wish I could add any thing to give you pleasure, and to reinstate myself in your former opinion. What I meant by there being here many mineral-beggars was alluding to the following:-Here are many professors of mines, mineralogy, &c., counsellors, keepers of cabinets, &c. &c., and their dependants, some of whom have condescended to little tricks. More than one has brought me mere rubbish, and, judging me ignorant, assured me of the rarity and value of the article, at the same time choosing a collection of my most valuable minerals. When I have been under the necessity of informing them I have bought better than the piece, or perhaps two pieces which they have brought, at two livres each, and therefore cannot value their minerals as they do, but with pleasure will beg their acceptance of a piece or two, they never have had liberality enough to return the compliment. These I call worse than beggars. Haüy, Pini, Lamétrie, Le Levre, and other respectable names, are very different in their dealings: they, I believe, are men of liberality. Pini has given me a receipt that he has received minerals of me to the value of 287., and will return me the amount in kind. He has done me the honor to fill his letter with every mark of esteem: in fact he was almost always with me, wishing to get every information of the mines in England. I am a little hurt at Patrin. I told him you wished for a few rocks: he informed me he knew you very well by reputation: I said you had done him the honor to mention his name in your work with great respect and applause. I gave him fourteen good, and some fine, specimens. I gave him a book of yours and one of mine: he seems much pleased with me, and asks many questions, but has never offered me one rock specimen, or any thing for your collection. I am sorry you are so impatient for your minerals: I am sensible you would receive much pleasure by having a few at a time; but I wished them to have the new names described by a man of science. As, however, I may perhaps wait a long time before they will take the trouble to do it, I will send you a small box certainly to-morrow, and afterwards from time to time, as I may meet with them. We have lately had some cold and piercing weather, which is said to have much damaged the vines and fruit: it also has occasioned many complaints, as sore throats, &c. The following are the coins of the republic in circulation they have coined some gold, but I cannot even learn the exact amount: they are very rare to meet with : Scentime. Copper, 5 centimes, a sol. decime, two sols. 500 centimes, 100 sols, or five-livre piece. De Lamétrie's collection of rocks has cost him above 15., Patrin informs me; by which it seems the German gentlemen know how to value what they give credit to: I think them very dear. Haüy's System of Mineralogy is in great esteem here; and he is considered to understand well the rocks. He commences his course of lectures at the Jardin des Plantes, on Saturday. I gave him I re the only remaining book I had of yours. ceived six, and made a mistake by saying four. I have given them away to men of science. Lamétrie says he does not know of any immediate channel to send one or two to Werner; but he will let me know when such presents itself. The minerals that I have sent Mrs. Mawe are what I have obtained in general by exchange any of them that you should like are at your service; and should you think the price too high, it is of no consequence; it shall be made lower. I have chromate of iron, phosphate of ditto, and many others, I hope interesting, for you. Lamétrie pays me much attention, and has more than once requested me to write a description of the veins, &c. he is reviewing my small work, which, I believe, will appear in his next publication. Almost all the amateurs are in the country: therefore I do not expect to stay here more than three weeks longer; but in October, if all be well, I will attend them again. Pray make me as useful as you can while I stay, and assure yourself it will give me pleasure to render myself useful. MR. PINKERTON TO MR. M. LAING. No. 26, Lower Eaton Street, Pimlico, I have at last received the Complaint and Poems, for which I return you my best thanks. If you Р VOL. II. |