Dear Sir.

April 22. 1791.

I write to you as soon as I have receiv’d the parcell, because you wish’d me to do so, but I have nothing to say, except to desire you not to direct any more letters under General Rainsford's cover, to me, because he is going out of town, as are most of my Parliamentary friends; in the mean time pray write to me, as often as You find occasion, without ever considering the paltry expence of a single, or a double postage. When one throws away sixpences, and shillings, by handfull’s, it is niggardly indeed to grudge a few pence for the satisfaction of hearing from ones [sic] friends. If one has a franker at one’s elbow tis as well to use his pen as not; but I never go out of my way to get franks to others, or wish the others to do it for me.

I have order’d Faulder to send me Cadel's new System of Natural history, and it shall be left at M^rs. Pennants in upper Grosvenor Street before May the 5^th., together with your boards, and the return’d prints, and the heads of Sir Walter Raleigh, the Duke of Wharton, the Earl of Essex, and the two Admiral’s Tromp.¹ Jacob Heemskirk I cannot find. – continue to tell me your wants, and I will endeavor to fulfill your wishes. I am by no means conversant in natural history, but Cadel's System seems to me to be merely a repetition of what you, and others have said before, and the plates are much beneath midling, resembling an 8v^o book which every School boy used to have, call’d a discription of Beasts and birds, with prints of half a dozen animals in every plate. only one Volume is yet publish’d, price 12 shillings, but it makes a very thick 8v^o. and you will at least find letter press enough for your money: if you think it worth my purchasing, with respect to any of your publications have the goodness to tell me so. the odd Volumes of Churchill’s Voyages, you will want, are II. III. V. and I am in serch search of them. Lort's Collections were sad rubbish, and I don’t remember to have seen the Dutch Montfaucon in the Catalogue. the sale I never attended, nor sent any Commissions.

I am thankfull for the Print of Stillingfleet, and for the drawings of the Markets, which are curious, and I dare say as exact as the Artist was able to discribe them, but every draftsman is not a Griffyth, or an Ingleby –The 2 wheat Ears² are equal to Albyn, and I like the Drawing of the mountain which came in the same letter; pray pray don’t forget to tell me what the view is.³ it should be always written upon the drawing itself. I have taken 5 of the 53 heads you was kind enough to give me the Choice of, which were all I have any present occasion for. I will pay Gryfith's account, when, and wherever you please.

We hope you, and yours are well, and I will beg you to bring me to the remembrance of D^r. Nash.

I am Dear, Sir, yours always.

R.B. -

Editorial notes