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youth, discovered his attachment to natural his tory: insedis, and their severat metamorphoses, employed many of those hours, Whicli at his timeos life are mostly spent by others in very disserent phirsutis. Planis likewise engaged his attention; he began early to malle a collectionos dried specimens, and had accesse to the best ardens at that time in the neighbourhood of
It was a favou rabie circumstance to himself, that he was in pariners hip with his brother James Collinson, in a businesse that did not always require their presen ce together. They lived in great harmony, and reciprocatly afforded to eachother opportunities for their respective pursu iis . Both, however, had a strong relissi sor horti culture and planting, and both had acquired a just conception os rural elegance. He became early acquainted with the fit si rate naturalists of that age ; the Drs. Derham, Wood-ward, Dale, Lloyd, and , to name ali in one, thegi eat Sir Haras Sloane, Were amongst his friends.1 fir that amazing collection, now constituting the Britissa Mus eum, With my deceased frienti, in company With the late Sir Charies Wager, Who had been a most generous and fortunate contributor to that vast treas ure os natural curiosities; omitting nothing, in the course of his many Voyages, that could add to iis magnificence, and encolara ging the conmmandersunder him, who Were stationed in different paris
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of the globe, to procure WhateVer Was rare and
valvabie in every branch of natural history. Tothis he was strongly excited by Peter Collinson ;sor whom and his fami ly Sir Charies had a very
singular esteem, and continued it to the last moments of his lise. Among the great variety of articles Wh chform that superb collection, smali was the number of those With whose history my friend was not weli acquainted; he being one of those fewwho visited Sir Hans at ali times familiarly, and continue i so to do to the latest period : theirinclinations and pursu iis in respeet to natural
early been establisaed belween them. Peter Collinson was elected a Fellom of the Royal Society on the iath of December I 728 ;and perhaps Was one of the most diligent an duseful members of that respectable body, notonly in supplying them With many curious ob servations himself, but in promoting and pre serving a miost extensiVe corresponden e willi learn ed and ingenious foret gners, in ali coun- tries, and on every uses ut subjeci; so that henot only furnisaed many instructive hinis Domitis own fund of observations, but excited othersto contribute largely .lo the instruction and en-tertainment of the Society. Besides his attention to natural his ory, hesurired nothing useful in cither ari or science
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that occurrird either in rea ling or conversa tion; and from this fource he derived much informa tion, as there Were veru sew men os learning and ingenuity, of ali prosemions, who were notos his acquaintance at home, and most foreignersos eminerice in natural history, or in aris and sciences, were recommended to his notice and
His diligence and oeconomy os time were sicli, that though he never appeared to be in a hurry, he maintained an extensive corresponden Ce with great punctuality; acquainting the learned anuingeniolas in distant paris of the globe with the discoveries and improvemenis in natural historyin this country, and receiving the like insormation from the most eminent persons in almo every other. Amongst a Variety of circumstances of this kind that might be mentioned, his corresponderaces With the ingeniolas Cadwal
lader Cotilen, Esq; of New York, and the justly celebrated Dr. Franklin, of Philadelphia, fur nim instances of the bene sit resulting from his
attention to ali improVemenis. Frona the former 'of these gentiemen many Valuabie observations were received ; and the lalter communicated his
first e lays on electricity to my si iend, in a series os letters, Which Were then publis hed, and have been reprinted in a late edition of the Doctor singenious discoveri es and improve ments. Theirminds in this respeec Were congeniat, ever intent
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DEAR Si R, Craven-street, Feb. 8, 177Ο. UNDER STANDING that an account of our dear departed hien d Mr. Peter Collinson is intended to be given to the public, I cannot omit expressing my approbation of the design, as thecharacters of good men are exemplary, and osten stimulate thewell-di posed to an imitation, beneficiat to mankind, and ho- noui able to them selves. And as you may be unacquainted
with the folio ing instances of his eteal and useful ne si in promoting knowledge, whicli fell within my observation, I tahethe liberty of informing you, that in i 73o a Subscription Library being set on ot at Philadelphia, he encouraged the design by malaing severat very valvabie presenis to it, and procuring others Dom his friends : and as the Library Companyhad a considerable sum arising annually, to he laid out in books, and needed a judicious frien d in London to transactthe bustinesi sor them, he voluntarily and chearfully under-took that service, and executed it sor more than thirty years successively ; auisting in the choice of books, and taking the whole care of collecting and shipping them, Without evercharging or accepting any consideration for his trouble. The success of this library greatly owing to his Lind counte nance and good ad vice) enco ursged the erecting others in different places on the sanae plan ; and it is suppo sed there are nowupwards of thirty subsisting in the severat colonies, which have contributed greatly to the spreading of useful knowledge in that part of the worid ; the books he recommended being allof that hind, and the catalogue of this first library being muchrespected and followed by those libraries that succreded. During the same time he transmitted to the directors of the library the earliest accounts of every nein European improve-ment in agriculture and the aris, and every philosophical dita covery: among Whicli, in I 74s, he sent over an account of theneK German experiments in electri tu, together With a glass
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Perhaps, in some future period, the aCCOUnthe procured of the management of sheep in Spain, in respeet to their migrations frona themo untains to the plains, and their state i returns, publimed in the Gentieman 's Magagine for May and June I 764, may not be Considered among the least of the benefiis accrui ny from his eX-
tensive and inquisitive corresponden ce. When America is beller peopled, the molantat notas Paris
more habitabie, the pia ins unio aded of their vastforests, and cultivaled, the finest sheep in theworld may possib ly cover the platias of Carolina,
Georgia, and the Floridas in the winter monilis, and retreat to the moUntains as the summer heais increasse, and dry Up the herbage. We are Ut-ter strangers to this kind of oeconomy. Probab lyit might be practis ed even in this is land to ad-vant age, With this differe iace, iliat the higheststround should be chosen sor the winter residen ceos these animais, proper mel ter being made forthem, and the wet ter low lan is test sor summer.
iube, and seme directions sor using it, se as to repeat those experiments. This was the first notice I had of that curious subject, whicli I asterwards prosecuted with some diligence, being encouraged by the friendly reception he gave to theletters Ι wrote to him upon it. Pleas e to accept this sinali testi. mony of mine to his memory, for whicli I sit ali ever have thesimost respect ; and belleve me, With sincere esteem, Dear Sin Your most obedienthumbie servant,
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Views of public bene fit to this cohantry, toothers, to mani in i in generat, alWays suggestedio him useful en quiries; and the public are in possession os many valvabie hinis, whicli fronati me to time he communicated through thechannel of the Gentiem an 's Magagine ' and datly papers, sonae times With his name, or ini-
The solio ing is seid to be a complete List of Ρ. Collinsen's papers inserted in the Gentieman's Magazine,
1. A list os American seeds imported in 17s1 ; with semein structions sor their cultivation. Gent. Mag. for Dec. I 7s I. a. Some observations on the white pine, common ly called the Weymo ulli pine. Ibid. Nov. I7ss. 3. Further observations on the Weymouth and other American pines. Ibid. Dec. I 7s . . Observations on the fir-tree. Ibid. Jan. I 736. s. Remarks on the cultivation of me species of North American ever-green trees. Ibid. March 1756. 6. A Plan for a lasting peace With the Indians. Ibid. Sept. I 763. . Some anecdotes of the lise of the late Dr. Stephen Hales. Ibid. I 76 . 8. An account of the sycamore or Eastern plane-tree.
Io. An account of the introduction of the lea-tree os, China, and of the elegantly spolied menti il-deer of Bengat, into England. Gent. Mag. Supplement for I 76s.11. Account of the introduction os rice and tar into our American colonies. Ibid. for June i 766.12. Description of the ancient ches nut-tree at Toris orth, in Gloucestermire. Ibid. July a 766. a 3. Some observations on the emigration os MalloKs, &c.
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tiais, but ostener Without any signature; beinginore solici totis to do good, than to be seen in
His conversition was chearsul, and uses allyentertaining, because it Was generalty turn ed tofome interesting disquisation, or imparting sonae
beneficiat information. This rendered his ac- quaintance much destred by those Who had aret isti sor natural history, or Were studio is in culti vating rural improvemenis, and secured him
the intimate friendmip of sonae of the most emi nent personages in this Lingdom, as distinguished by their taste in planting and horticulture, as bytheir rank and dignity. With some of these hefrequently spent a sem Jays at their sears in theneighbourhood of London, imparting many ad
Vantageous hinis With regard to the improve menis they Were designing : and indeed many of them Cere sensibie that very se were either soable to adui se in these respecis, or so impartiat. Frequent opportunities had furnished extensive observation and experience of the effecis of dis ferent methods of culti vation ; What soli, What aspeet, best sui ted different planis and trees ; hoin best to cover in curabie desedis, how to improvebeauties ; and frona this general knowledge, derived frona repented remariis, he osten preVentedyoting planters from committing capital mista es,
redhi fled others into whicli they had been missed by the ignorant and designing ; and by suchmeans he prevalled upon many of his frienus noton ly to embark in this rational amus ement, but
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io persevere in it, greatly to their Own emolument, and the lasting ad vantage of their country. A very frequent observation of my friend's was, that he thought it a matter of the hi tmost importance to yoUng People of fortune, thatthey should be af early as possibi e initiated intosonae rational pursuit, and especialty into a tastesior ali hinds of rural improve ments. The hU- man mind, he would remari , must have sonae object in View; sonae amus ements are necessary aand is virtve and propriety do not engage it, vice and folly will. Let has then turn them to an employ, Whicli at once contributes to theirhealth, their pleas ure, and their profit, and secures them frona falling into idienessi or dissipation, merely for Want of better engagemenis; let iis find them something to do, and they cannot be ianhappy, like a mUltitude of yoUng persons, Who are dissipated and Corrupi, hecause,perhaps, those Who haVe been early aboUt them,or were concerned in their education, had notthe inclination or address to lead them into sonae innocent, pleas arabie, and useful pursuit. Planting, he used to say, and gardening, sup ply a fund of entertain ment, the most 1asting andreas nable of any occupation in this lise; plea sures not to be purchased. The trees which weourselves have planted, the fruits Ure have raised, the planis we have cultivaled, seem to be likeour child ren, a Lind of new creation; their stade, their taste, their fragrance, and their beauties, assedi us With a richer repast than any
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on this favourite su est, a very natural reflection osten escaped him, that he seldom knew aman possessed os a taste for such pleaires, whoWas not at the fame time temperate and VirtUOUS.
And indeed he had a right to make the observation ; for he had the satisfaction os rechon ingamong his most intimate friends, men of themost amiable and unblemis hed characters in alistations, parties, and distinctions. Nor mas he only employed in promoting thistaste amongst his frien is, in enlarging their Views, correcting and refining their judgmentibiit also in furnis hing them With the means of increasing their plantations ; and it is but doing ustice to his memory, to mention that he was the first who introduced the great varie ty of seeds 1ad shrubs, whicli are noW the principat ornaments of every garderi; and that it was OKingio his indefatigabie industry, that so many per- sons of the first distinction are now enabled tobehold gi oves transplanted from the westerncontinent, flourishing so luxuriantly in their severat domains, as is they Were alveady become indigenous to Britain.
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His biisinest in the mercantile way was chieflyto North America, and the west Indies; theformer particUlarly. He had perta sed every per-
formance that Was Wro te respecting the naturalhistory and produce of ali our own setilemenis, and indeed os ali the Europe an colonies in the New Worid. This enabled hirn to malle en-quiries aster every thing that was curious andusesul, and brought him acquainted with themost intelligent people who came over DomAmerica ; his enquiries raised sonae curiosi ty in those countries, and excited a iaste sor naturalhistory and botanical researches. It perhaps
may sasely be faid, that every thing of this sortthat has appeared in those paris of the worid, was chiefly owing to his encouragement. Thateminent naturalist, Jolin Bartram, may almost besaid to have been created such by my frien d 'saslsistance; he first recommended the collectingos seeds, and afterwards asiisted in disposing of them in this country, and constantly excited hi mio persevere in investigating the planis of America, Which he has executed with indefatigabie labour through a long coxarse of years, and with
The quantities of nem feeds he received frona America, not only supplied his own garden withevery thing that Was curious, but furnis ed hi inwith the means of prociaring others, in eXChange, from other paris of the globe. He had sonae correspondenis in almost every nation in Europe; sonae in Asia, and even at Peliin ; who ali trans