know Mr. Dalzell, I beg you will express to him my pleasure in his publication.

I have not heard one word from Mr. Gibson, and am so sick of this business, which seems endless, that I know not what to think.

The week after next I think of a trip to Paris, where it will give me pleasure if I can serve your learned researches. Perhaps you could use the freedom to apply to Mr. Fox for a letter or two of introduction for me, as his name would carry great weight; and I might perhaps be able to serve him, as being more conversant in the investigation of manuscripts.

Pray let me hear from you directly.

MR. S. HAMILTON TO MR. PINKERTON.

London, July 15th, 1802.

I have delayed answering your letter for some days, in expectation of meeting with a person going to Paris, by whom I could convey this letter, as well as the Reviews you desire; but, as I have not been fortunate enough to meet with any one, I think it proper to delay the answer no longer. The booksellers, to whom I sent twenty-five copies of the Critical Review for January and February 1802, and an Appendix, to show the nature of the plan, are M. de Bure,

Proprietor of the Critical Review,

Rue Serpente, and M. Levrault, Quai Voltaire. I of course sent a letter with each parcel, to inform them I had been recommended to them, to know if they were likely to open a correspondence with me for the sale of the Review, and also to know, if they did agree to open such a correspondence, what probable chance there was of success in the sale; begging them also to inform me how I should send in future: to all which questions I have received no answer from either of the parties. You will therefore oblige me by calling on these booksellers, to ask them if they are agreeable to become the venders of the Critical Review at Paris; and, if so, to give you their answer to my letter to them, which contained my ideas of the method they should pursue to promote the sale of the Review, &c.

If De Bure and Levrault should decline the correspondence solicited, and you should think, from any conversation you may have with them upon the subject, that it will still be worth while to open a correspondence in Paris, you will further oblige me by proposing it to any bookseller you may think most proper; and the result of your application you can favor me with at your leisure. It is by no means my wish you should put yourself to the slightest inconvenience to oblige me; but, as you will doubtless meet with many curious and entertaining books, you will probably be able to furnish us with two or three good articles for the next appendix, without breaking in upon any of your numerous engagements.

I have been importuned by two persons to take

a share in the following book: a Description of the Paintings in the Louvre, with colored engravings. I should be glad to have your opinion if you think it will answer. There is no work of the sort in England, except that by Mr. Griffiths and Mrs. Cosway, which is very bad. It displays no execution; the plates are merely drawn, and then colored with two colors like little saints. They are also printed in compartments, like the present compartments of the Louvre; although these are altering every day. I believe one of the plates for our work is finished; and, if it is in your way to call upon the artist, M. Pierre Ledet, 22, Rue Neuve des Petits Champs, and make use of the name of Florian, who is Ledet's brother-in-law, he will show you the plate; and you will then be able to give me your opinion whether you think it will be worth while to proceed, or drop the undertaking. Cannot we take a certain number to London, worked off in Paris, and then work off another set to sell in Paris, and make it do between both? I shall be glad to have your sentiments upon the subject as soon as possible.

The city election is ended by the return of all the old representatives except Lushington, who retires, and Alderman Price takes his seat: they were opposed by a Mr. Travers and Sir Watkin Lewes. Combe continued at the head of the poll all along, although he was prohibited, by a resolution of the common hall, from canvassing for votes. Thornton and Tierney have been returned for Southwark, although the latter was hard run by a Sir Thomas Turton, who opposed them.

Westminster has been contested by a contemptible person of the name of Graham, a sheriff's broker in Chancery Lane. He polled more votes than any person could imagine; but he has this day given up the contest in favor of Fox and Lord Gardner. In Middlesex, In Middlesex, Mainwaring is opposed by Sir Francis Burdett; and it is thought by some he will beat Mainwaring, as he has great interest in the county, and his father-in-law, Coutts the banker, has declared he will spend 70,000/. to secure his election. However, Mainwaring was nearly four hundred a head of Burdett yesterday, (the second day.) The contest is carried on with great animosity, and riots have already taken place. I have given you this history of the elections, as I thought you would like to know the state of them.

MR. ARTHUR AIKIN TO MR. PINKERTON.

August 26th, 1802.

I received your letter about three weeks ago, while I was in Wales, and returned you an immediate answer. I fear, however, from not having heard again, that my letter has never reached you.

With regard to the terms, &c. of the Abridgment of the Geography, we are perfectly agreed; and I have already begun upon it. I wish to know, however, whether, it would not be advisable to introduce under each article a short table of the

provinces and provincial capitals. The omission of these in the quarto has been often remarked to me; and I believe I may venture to say that the octavo would much more readily find its way into schools, and supersede Guthrie, by supplying this deficiency. At all events, however, I shall send nothing to press till I hear from you again. In the introduction, I suppose every thing that is not strictly connected with the use of the globes must be omitted; as theorems, &c. cannot be abridged without rendering them very obscure. The scrap of chemistry and vegetable physiology may surely be entirely left out, with little or no loss.

While you are enjoying the science and various agrémens of Paris, I have been paying a visit to my favorite North Wales. I spent three weeks there very satisfactorily, and have added largely to my collection of rock-specimens, many duplicates of which I have reserved for you. Cader Idris and Snowdon engaged the principal part of my attention; and I found a specimen of argillite full of shells at the very summit of the latter of these mountains. I have made some curious observations too on the tendency to a columnar figure that certain of the Welsh horn-stones affect in a very remarkable degree.

If you could pick up for me any publication, giving an account of the decrees of the parliament of Paris against the use of antimony, and the controversy that followed, I should be obliged to you. I want also a chemical biography; either in German, French, or Latin, but cannot hear

of any.