Dear Sir

an annual train of visits from 20 to 30 miles distance prevented me from sooner answering y^r kind favour. I blush at my late gratitude to M^r Clerk for till y^r Letter arrived I did not know I was indebted to him for the valuable present. Pray convey my best thanks to him and as a further mark of the sense I have of his acceptable gift, offer to him a copy of either the Welsh Tour or Flora scotica which he pleases.*ⁱ Let me make free to say that views of Inverlochy castle, Fort William or augustus or of any of those parts will be welcome.

M^r Bruce once shewed me a vast collection of drawings of plants, many of fish, some of Birds & quadrupeds. all exquisite & faithful. M^r Banks vouchd for the botanic class I for the Zoologic. he also shewed 3 fine drawings of antiquities. It is certainly strange that one who has drawn so well, will not draw any more.

Pray enquire if all the copies of my Genera of birds given to D^r Ramsay are sold for I want some. my poor friend sent me Skinner Scotch roads.

I shall content myself with maitland. for tho dull he is faithful.

I am sorry for the spirit of sedition that spreads so universally. want is coming on us like an armed train. but we shall all be in the same ease. but as a man of Letters I lament the gothic times that must be concomitant in all times I rest

faithfuly y^rs

T Pennant

Downing Oct^r 31. 1779.

^FREERMostyn

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