and more interesting engagements; and shall be grateful for your kindness, whenever you can indulge me with the least interruption to your other pursuits.

We have a Literary Society established in Manchester, which has acquired some reputation by its Memoirs. The second part of our fourth volume is now in the press, and will be published in the spring. Glad should I be to have it honoured with the name, and enriched by the communications, of Dr. Parr.

My friend, the Rev. Mr. Gisborne, of Yoxall Lodge, who is doubtless known to you by his excellent work on the Principles of Moral Philosophy, has just completed another publication, of which I am impatient to receive from him a copy. It is a practical delineation of the offices belonging to every class and station in life. And it is executed, I doubt not, in a masterly and impressive manner, so as to come home to men's business and bosoms. I have just been interrupted by receiving information from our hospital, that twenty-two persons, of different ages and families, have been brought there this morning under the alarming apprehensions of having been bitten by a mad dog. We had lately a patient in that charity who died under all the horrid symptoms of the malady, in consequence of a wound inflicted, as he and his friends affirmed, more than twelve years ago. I was very attentive to the examination of this person; yet, though I am persuaded of the great improbability of his ac-count, I was not able to detect its fallacy.

At our Literary and Philosophical Society we had last night a very curious paper read, describing the case of one who is able to distinguish only three of the primitive colours. The gentleman who is the subject of it, delivered the memoir himself. He is near-sighted, but has no other apparent peculiarity in the conformation of his eyes. He suspects that the humors are so tinged as to absorb certain rays of light, and to be fitted only for the transmission of others.

Permit me again to return my best acknowledgments for your kind attention to me, and to assure you, that I am, with great esteem and regard, dear Sir, your faithful and obliged humble servant, THOS. PERCIVAL.

Dr. Edward Percival, to Dr. Parr.

MY DEAR SIR,

Manchester, May 21, 1805. I need not assure you of the sincere concern I felt at the intelligence which your last kind letter communicated to me. Since then I have not been able to gain any information respecting the painful subject to which it related; and I have been long hesitating whether to intrude on your affliction by sending you the intelligence you desired, respecting the determination of the Literary Society. They have at last rescinded their resolution to have an English inscription; and the order as it now stands is, that members will be pleased to deliver in Latin inscriptions on or before the second Friday in June. To urge my solicitation for your services, under circumstances which must so fully and painfully occupy your mind, would be inconsistent with every feeling I possess ; and more especially with the sentiments of respect and obligation which I shall ever entertain towards you. But I am too well assured of your goodness to remain entirely silent on a subject which interests me most deeply; and I am confident that you will acquit me both of selfishness and importunity, if I repeat once more, that no higher gratification could be conferred upon me than to have a memorial on the walls of the society from your pen. Dr. Holme joins me in the same sentiment. So, with the full assurance that, if the task be too irksome for you, you will at once reject it, I shall proceed to mention some particulars which may be required for the composition. The Literary and Philosophical Society originated in the stated weekly meetings for conversation which my father held at his own house. These meetings becoming gradually more numerous, the members at length formed themselves into a tavern-club, which, in the year 1781, was constituted a regular society, and denominated the "Literary and Philosophical Society of Manchester." Of this institution my father was appointed joint president with another gentleman, at whose death he became sole president, a situation to which he was ever afterwards annually elected. His attendance at the meetings of this society was rarely prevented by any other cause than the interruption of health; his contributions, both literary and philosophical, were frequent and various; whilst his earnest zeal, not

less than his candour and moderation, seemed peculiarly to fit him for the leading office which he sustained. The resolution of the society to erect a monument to his memory was passed unanimously, very shortly after his death. These are all the particulars which at present occur to my mind. But I shall be happy to reply to any queries that you may think proper to suggest. Of my father's general character you are as good a master as any one; and the respect you entertain for it affords me no small satisfaction and delight.

Sir George Baker, the Bishops of London and Llandaff, and many other eminent persons to whom I have communicated your former inscription, speak of it in high terms of approbation; and Dr. Magee of Dublin desires me to assure you especially of the gratification which it has afforded him. On the eleventh of next month my mother and sisters remove to Bath, and I believe that I shall accompany them thither. If our stay at Birmingham will permit, I promise myself the pleasure of waiting upon you at Hatton, should you at that time be resident there. With the good wishes and respects of this family, believe me to remain, your obliged and very faithful friend and servant,

E. C. PERCIVAL.

Dr. John Sleath, to Dr. Parr.

Rugby, May 18, 1814.

Accept, Sir, my most cordial thanks for your kind and friendly letter of this morning. To have the sanction of your recommendation and name is to me of the utmost importance, as indeed it must be to every one who announces himself a candidate for a station in any degree connected with literature.

Your favourable opinion, expressed even in the most general terms, must be of essential use to me. But, greatly as I should have felt myself obliged by such general testimony, I feel myself doubly indebted to you for the very kind and condescending manner in which you have applied not only to the Company in general, but also to those individual electors with whom you are privately acquainted.

Mr. Homer desires me to express to you his thanks for your kind remembrances of him and his family. I remain, dear Sir with the highest respect and gratitude, yours most faithfully,

JOHN SLEATH.

MY DEAR SIR,

St. Paul's, June 16, 1814.

I should reproach myself if I delayed an instant in communicating to you that I am most handsomely elected to the high mastership of Saint Paul's School.

I am fully sensible of your zealous assistance, which must have materially contributed to my success.

I can only add, I know not how to thank you, but you may believe me, my dear Sir, ever your obliged and grateful servant, JOHN SLEATH.

DEAR SIR,

St. Paul's School, Jan. 26, 1818. Accept my best thanks for your remembrance of St. Paul's School, and its true welfare, in predisposing Dr. Maltby to accept the office of examiner. The president of the trustees called upon me on my return, and by reverting to the double appointment now vested in him, gave me an opportunity of mentioning Dr. Maltby's high qualifications. I have great pleasure in stating that the appointment is this day offered to Dr. Maltby, and that most probably he will be personally requested to take the office upon him, as it is understood that the Doctor is now in town. Ere you receive this, we may, I trust, congratulate Saint Paul's School on Dr. Maltby's acceptance of the office. Mrs. Sleath desires to unite in kind respects to yourself and Mrs. Parr, with, dear Sir, your obliged friend and servant, JOHN SLEATH.

SIR,

Dr. William Sleath, to Dr. Parr.

Rugby, July 20, 1800. I have taken the earliest opportunity of making my best acknowledgments to you, and expressing how much I have been indebted to your kind recommendation. When I mention my success in my pursuit after Repton School, (which took place on Wednesday last) I must beg leave to say, that it was your powerful letter that in a great measure achieved the victory, and gave me the superiority over my competitors. Whenever you may again pay a visit to your friends round Atherstone, as I shall be within a morning's ride from thence, I hope to be favoured with your company under my roof, and again he permitted to 2 T

VOL. VII.

listen to that conversation, which it has been my great delight to treasure, as much as possible, in my memory. I am, Sir, your much obliged humble servant, W. SLEATH.

Sir James Edward Smith, to Dr. Parr.

Sir James Edward Smith, the possessor of the papers and part of the library of Linnæus, was much esteemed by Dr. Parr, and styled by him "the great Botanist." There is only one letter from him.

DEAR SIR,

Birmingham, Oct. 26, 1819.

Having so often experienced your candour, I submit the two pamphlets here enclosed to your indulgence. If you take the trouble to read them, I know you will prove an indulgent critic, and I trust my sentiments on some subjects will be pardoned if not approved. Shall I confess that I earnestly wish the latter? You will find one gross blunder which might have been avoided by looking at a translation or a lexicon. "The colour of honey," page 88 of the second pamphlet. You will perceive how my head wandered between mellinus and pλvos; perhaps I too much despised my adversary. I had only one great object in view; for the professorship I care little, nor do I expect it, but I mean that all the world shall know the true cause of my rejection, if I should be rejected. You know religion has nothing to do with the matter; it is the basest and most sordid esprit de corps.

May I beg leave to present my best compliments to Mrs. Parr, and to subscribe myself, with the greatest respect, dear Sir, your most faithful and obedient servant.

J. E. SMITH.

I am happy to see the Norfolk requisition so well signed.