likely persons to give encouragement to the undertaking, he informed me that he could not possibly have attended.

"You will, I hope, be pleased to command my best services on any future occasion, and to believe me at all times "Your much obliged and very humble servant, T. HORNSBY."

London, April 8, 1774. "Mr. Da Costa presents his compliments to Professor Hornsby; respectfully thanks him; and hopes he will pardon the trouble Mr. Da Costa has given him. He is extremely anxious at the disappointment; and is sorry that so useful a science of Natural History, which her Sister Cambridge and many other Universities have thought worthy a Professorship, should not be patronized, or even regarded, in the University of Oxford. He further particularly begs Professor Hornsby's pardon touching the Petition to the Vice-Chancellor; he was misled by Mr. Platt's misunderstanding the Professor. It never could have originated from him, as Mr. Da Costa has never been honoured with a single line from the Professor."

To the Rev. Professor HORNSBY.

SIR, London, May 5, 1774. "I acknowledge myself greatly honoured by your very obliging and friendly letter of the 21st of last month, and should have immediately answered it, but an indisposition, from which I am not yet quite free, hindered me. I therefore hope you will_pardon the delay. In regard to the contents of your letter:-first, I return you my sincere thanks for your kind endeavours, and your patronage, to promote my design; and shall add, that, as the Vice-Chancellor has not thought fit to grant his permission for me to read my Lectures at the University, it is out of my thoughts ever to attempt Oxford again, or at least till his Vice-Chancellorship expires.

I am very certain my attempt has not succeeded by means of some unfriendly and sinister misrepresentations, as well as through mismanagement on my side, for want of proper advice how to proceed. I unluckily had not a friend who chose by a single line to set me right, or inform me what to do. My old friend Mr. Platt seems quite unacquainted with the method; and yourself, Dr. Parsons, and Mr. Sheffield, were the only three gentlemen he advised me to write to. I accordingly humbly addressed you all; but neither of you deigned me a line in answer to my solicitations or enquiries. Thus left forlorn, absent from the scene of action, and ignorant how to proceed, I became shipwrecked, and my hopes were blasted.

"Should it happen (though it is very unlikely) that any future occasion calls me to Oxford, I hope, Sir, you will permit me to pay you my respects, and to solicit your patronage and assistance, agreeable to the generous offers of friendship you now make me. "You desire that I would let you know the price of a small collection of Native Fossils, or when any sale shall happen. In

regard

regard to sales, they are very uncertain, and then single specimens may indeed be picked up, but never many, or a series ; and if good, they generally run dear. However, I will be always ready to your orders; but I would propose to you (as by the great correspondence I have always held, I am possessed of numbers of duplicates), to make you a collection of Native Fossils, all good specimens, and accompanied with an accurate or scientifical Catalogue, on the following terms, viz.:-100 specimens of all the different classes of Native Fossils for eight guineas; if 200, fifteen guineas only will be required. If the 100 or 200 are to be only of Metals and Semi-metals (fine gold and silver ores excepted), the price will be 9 or 17 guineas; and their rates are established in proportion to 50, 60, 70, or any other number of specimens. If you think proper to buy any of me, and should want some particular kind or kinds, note it, and I will strive to acquire them, if perchance I have them not. I beg the honour of your answer, and remain with great respect, Sir,

"Your very obliged humble servant, E. M. DACOSTA."

"SIR,

Rev. Dr. HOLMES* to RICHARD GOUGH, Esq. Salopian Coffee-house, Whitehall, Feb. 22, 1797. "I beg leave to express my most thankful acknowledgments for the favour of your countenance and patronage to The Collation of the Septuagint MSS.' and for the liberal benefaction you have been so good as to give it. If I understand your intention rightly, you have deposited at one payment the subscription for eight years, at the rate of 21. 2s. per year. This day I have forwarded to you by the Enfield coach the six first annual accounts; and in the course of next month the ninth account will be ready, and shall be duly forwarded to you.

"If at any time you come, as I hope you do or will do, I shall be extremely happy in the opportunity of paying you my personal respects at Christchurch.

"I have the honour to be, with great respect, Sir,

"Your faithful and much obliged servant, ROBERT Holmes."

Mr. GOUGH to Dr. HOLMES.

Feb. 24, 1797.

"SIR, "I am favoured with your letter, and the first six Reports of your Collation. The eighth I received before through my friend Mr. Gutch, of Oxford. I congratulate you, Sir, on the progress you have made in such an important undertaking, to which I shall always feel a pleasure in contributing my feeble aids, while I regret the deficiencies of others. I am, with due regard, Sir, "Your obedient humble servant, R. GOUGH."

* Some memoirs of this very learned Divine will be found in Mr. Alexander Chalmers's "Biographical Dictionary." See also some particulars of him in the " Literary Anecdotes,” vol. VII. pp. 784. 594.

Rev. JOHN MICKLEBOURGH* to Dean Moss. "WORTHY SIR, 1725. "Both yours I received, the first of which I thought required some little time to answer; and indeed as I am now engaged in a course of chemistry here, I can think of nothing but calcinations, sublimations, distillations, præcipitations, &c. I am afraid in the first place that your successor will not be so good as yourself, and whether or no there ever will be such another is a question; and therefore why I should empower a stranger to me and my notions to confer on a stranger a greater favour than I received, I know not, and whether I should enjoy the advantage of it for any time, is likewise doubtful. Indeed I confess that the duty belonging to St. Andrew's is so great, and the profits so small, that it well deserves an augmentation; and could I be sure I should have the same opinion of your successor as I have of you, or could I now foresee where my lot will be cast, I should not value the money a trifle. Is it impossible for you to get it augmented by lot? or how long in the course of things will it be before it receives her Majesty's benefaction? However, let this be as it will, if you can oblige any worthy clergyman or worthy patron by the application of this 100%. you have my full assent and consent to do it. As to Mr. Cooke, you may depend upon it that I shall do him all the service that I can; but I think the best way is for him, and me, and all of us, to be perfectly mute and silent, till the Living is void, and till he brings the news of it to Cambridge, propria persona; for the least mention of this thing even to a friend will give a suspicion of its being a valuable Living; and as it is a Living, tenable with a Fellowship in some of the Colleges, so I am afraid there will be candidates; but no one shall be so acceptable as your friend

Cooke shall be to

"Your friend and humble servant,

JOHN MICKLEBOURGH."

Rev EBENEZER MILLER to Dr. Z. GREY.

"WORTHY SIR, London, April 25, 1727. "Your lady told me you had an inclination to purchase some lands in Lincolnshire, and desired me to give you an account of mine; therefore, that you might have a true one, I have sent the rental which my wife had before we were married of Mr. Towman, who has received her rents ever since she has been of age. You must know the value of the estate better than I do, and I should be glad to know your mind while I am at Louth (for which place I design to set out next Thursday), because if you do not incline to have it or part of it, I shall endeavour to find purchasers for it there.

My wife joins with me in sending our best respects to you, and I beg leave to subscribe myself not only your most humble servant, but affectionate brother, EBEN, MILLER."

* See before, p. 282.

+ Ibid. pp. 280, 305.

"REV. SIR, Braintree, in New England, June 30, 1736. "I am obliged to you for the frequent mention you have made of me and my wife in your letters to my worthy friend Dr. Cutler, and designed long since to have acknowledged the obligation, and can plead nothing sufficient to excuse my neglect; however, I hope confessing my fault, and resolving to amend, will set me right in your favour. This comes by the hand of the Rev. Mr. McSparran, who has been many years a Missionary in the neighbouring Government of Rhode Island. He returns to England to solicit a law-suit about an estate, left to the support of the Ministry, the title being controverted between him and the independent teacher of the same place, as it is not likely to lie in your way to assist him, I forbear being particular upon the case. If you should see him (as I expect you will), the favour and civility you shew him shall be looked upon as an obligation upon myself.

"

My wife enjoys her health very well, and is perfectly contented here. We have a son and two daughters, and have buried a son and a daughter. I have had thoughts of taking a voyage for England several years, but the difficulty of leaving my family, and more especially my parish without a supply, has prevented me, for in this Country it may truly be said, the harvest is great, but the labourers few; for though the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel do more than could be expected, yet there are more churches than ministers here. If ever my affairs should require me to return to England, I hope I should not be again so unfortunate as not to be acquainted with you. In the mean time pray accept our best respects, and present them to your lady, and Mrs. Moss, if living; and be assured a letter from you would be highly valued by, dear Sir, your affectionate brother and very humble servant, EBEN. MILLer." "DEAR SIR, Braintree, in New England, Oct. 6, 1743. My friend Mr. Gardiner, the bearer hereof, designing to make a visit to Cambridge, desired of me a letter to you, whose name and character he is well acquainted with, though not with your person. He is a gentleman, for his years, eminent in his profession, viz. surgery and the practice of physick; but what will more recommend him to your regard is, that he is a zealous and steady member of the Church of England. The civilities he receives from you I shall esteem obligations upon myself.

"A few days since I received your History of Donatism,' &c. which favour I find by Mr. Cutler's letter to his father, you designed for me a year ago, but by an accident came not till now: I have read it with pleasure, and thank you for it. You know by Mr. Whitefield's Journals that he has been here. The Clergy of the Church of England were unanimous in their resolution not to suffer him to go into their pulpits; so that a dissenting teacher of considerable note, in a paragraph of a letter that was printed said, that he came to his own, and his own received him not, but we (the Dissenters) received him as an angel of God!'

God! The effects of his and his followers preaching in this country are extravagant beyond description, and almost beyond belief, for an account of which I refer you to Mr. Gardiner. I think the party are upon the decline; but Whitefield is soon expected here, and how he may revive the dying work, I cannot say, but I believe he will not be received with the same respect as formerly by the Dissenters themselves, he having raised such contentions, and caused such divisions among them, as has much weakened them, and inclined many of the more wise and thinking among them to the Church. I want to make one more voyage to England, but the difficulty of getting my parish supplied prevents me at present. I have some expectation that the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel will appoint a gentleman to supply it while I come over: if they do, I may perhaps have the pleasure of seeing you at Cambridge. I thank God my wife and family are all well, and join with me in sending our best respects to you, your lady, and family, and Mrs. Moss, if living; and please also to give our service to brother Andrews's son, if at Cambridge. I am, Sir,

"Your affectionate brother,

"DEAR SIR,

EBEN. MILLER." London, Feb. 1, 1747-8.

"This afternoon I received yours of Jan. 29, I set out for Lincolnshire on Thursday, and design to return by Cambridge; and indeed I should be very sorry to be twice in England, and not have the pleasure of seeing Dr. Grey. My wife and family sent their compliments to you, your lady, and family. I just now saw my sister Waller, who desired me to make hers, with which accept those of

"Your affectionate humble servant,

E. MILLER."

Governor OGLETHORPE* to GEORGE SCOTT, Esq.

"DEAR SIR, Cranham Hall, Sept. 12, 1775. "This attends you with your curious book. Thanks for all favours, and some of the Reports of the Committee, with the designed horrible job for plundering the rich, imprisoning and starving the poor, and putting 20 millions to be told over a gridiron into their pockets. The Landed and Church Interest throughout the Kingdom have discovered the design, and have formed a well-concerted correspondence for that purpose.

"We are to dine by invitation at Mr. Mildmay's on Thursday, and see Old England, for Marks is what England was 300 years ago, and most worthy the contemplation of an Antiquary. I hope you will make my service acceptable to Mr. Jones, and believe me to be, dear Sir, yours, &c. J. OGLETHOrpe."

* See the "Literary Anecdotes," vol. VII. p. 299. + Ibid. pp. 372. 671.

Marks Hall, in Essex, a seat of the Mildmay Family.

"I desired