72
THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
those days is addressed by Evelyn in 1686 "For Mr. Secretary
"Pepys, &c, At the Admiralty in Yorke buildings."
Sr,
When I had last the honor to see & dine wth youe there was a
Captaine (multorum mores hominum qui vidit et urbes) who going
to comand some forces in New-England, was so generous, as to offer
me his assistance, in procuring for me, anything which I thought
curious & rare among the plants of those Countries. The Ingenuity,
& extraordinary Industie of the Gent : by what I both learn'd from the
Character you gave of him, & what I myselfe could observe in so
short a time ; together with your interest in him ; makes me not
willing to omit so favourable an opportunitie, of putting this Note into
his hands, thro yours : and that if it may comply with his diver-
sion, when he is in the Countrie, to collect any of these (or other)
natural productions of the Vegetable Kingdoms : You (who first were
pleas'd to recomend me to him) will give him leave they may be
sent, & consigned under your auspicious name, to
Sr
Yrs most humble, & continualy
Obligd Servant
J. Evelyn.
After giving a list of plants of New England Virginia, "known
"by these names," he proceeds:
" The seedes are best preserv'd in papers : their names written on
" them and put in a box. The Nutts in Barills of dry sand : each
" kind wrapd in papers written on.
" The trees in Barills their rootes wraped about mosse: The
" smaller the plants and tree are, the better ; or they will do well
" packed up in matts ; but the Barill is best, & a small vessell will
" containe enough of all kinds labells of paper tyed to every sort
" with ye name.
" I suppose most of those sen'd to be plants of Virginia May grow
" also in N-England :
" Sr, yr greate civilitie & generous offer, makes me presume (thro'
" Mr. Secretary Pepys's cover & recomendation) to burden you
" with this catalogue from Sr Yr most humble serv J. Evelyn."
Before leaving Warley it is of interest to note that Miss
Willmott was born at Spring Grove, Isleworth, which was for a
time the residence of Sir Joseph Banks.
It was the year following the date of Evelyn's letter that
Hans Sloane accompanied the Duke of Albemarle to Jamaica and
during fifteen month's stay there amassed an enormous collection
of natural history specimens, including herbarium material,
seeds and living plants. His results created a great stir and