was the coldness of that food that made it disagree with the worms, when long kept upon it, and prevailed on General Mordaunt to try what would be the effect of feeding them on it when kept in the heat of a hot-house (a pine-apple stove, I presume); and the result was what I have stated. I wish the experiment to be repeated by as many different persons as possible; for I seldom trust to one experiment. If the fact shall turn out as here stated, we shall soon have some thousands of helpless beings in Scotland usefully employed; for, as to the expense of a hot-house for the purpose, it will be very trifling, since light is rather hurtful than beneficial; so that glass will be saved, and a flue can easily be formed in most cases behind the kitchen chimney, without any expense for fuel. You may mention this to such of your acquaintance as you think will try the experiment, and let me know the result. The great advantage of this mode of feeding them will be that of enabling us to begin directly: whereas, with the mulberry alone, it must be many years before much could be done, as that plant is of very slow growth. I expect some eggs of another insect from the East Indies, that has lately been discovered there, which feeds upon a species of Ricinus, that yields a coccoon greatly larger than that of the silk-worm, and a thread much thicker and stronger, which it is not impossible but we may be able to rear in Europe with advantage. I have also lately received some very interesting accounts from Denmark, not of a political nature, that shall soon appear in the Bee.

DR. THORKELIN TO MR. PINKERTON.

Copenhagen, April 6th, 1792.

I have had the honor to receive this afternoon a letter from the vice-president of the Royal Society of Sciences in Trundheim, dated the 24th of March past, which informs me of your being unanimously elected an honorary member of that respectable body. The patent or diploma will be transmitted to me by the first opportunity, in order to be forwarded to you. I have only to add, that the vice-president (Johan Christian Schonheyder, bishop of Trundheim) wishes very much to get your Introduction to the Scotish History; and that the prince hereditary of Denmark, who, under the title of president, is equal lover of sciences and the society, will look on it as a particular attention paid to your Norwegian brethren, if you would present them with a copy; and indeed it is your duty, according to the laws of the Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences.

I beg you will procure Dr. Combe's Museum Numismaticum Hunterianum. My other letter contained an account of the abolition of the slavetrade, as far as concerns his Danish Majesty's dominions. Pray let as much thereof as you think meet, be printed in the London Chronicle. In my next you will receive a bill of lading and a passport for the Scriptores Danici, who are already packed up, and wait for a safe opportunity to London.

My best respects attend you, Mrs. Pinkerton, and my sweethearts, your amiable daughters.

P. S. Pray show me the favor to buy the companion to Clytie engraved by Bartolozzi, and to let me know by a letter whether or no I may hope to get the said companion print.

MR. ASTLE TO MR. PINKERTON.

April 6th, 1792.

There are no patent rolls in the Tower later than the reign of Edward IV. I am certain there can be nothing there relative to the peerage of Perth. All our warrant books in the Paper-office have been searched from the accession of James I. of England; and there is not the least trace of any warrants ever having passed the Signet or Privy Seal office for the peerage now claimed. Any patent must have passed through these offices before it could have gone to the Great Seal. I do not believe that any patent passed in 1687; as there are no traces of it any where. I think the historical papers in Bibl. Harl. of the reign of King James II. are the most likely to furnish information (vide insuper Mr. Ayscough's Catalogue of Dr. Birch's manuscripts).

Crail is an ancient borough in Fife: it was one of the seventeen which gave bond for the ransom of David II. (See Sir David Dalrymple's Annals, Vol. II. p. 244): it is now represented with other burghs. It is in the mouth of the Firth, seven miles south-west of St. Andrew's.

Longmate has drawn the seals. I wish you to see them.

MR. W. G. BROWNE TO MR. PINKERTON.

Cairo, July 28th, 1792.

I should not have been easily induced to suspend my communications to you, but by the hope that a little delay would enable me to say something, not only of what I have done, but of what I may be able to do. But this is a species of gratification not at present allowed to travellers in Africa, who, if they find not obstacles sufficient to defeat their purposes, always meet with enough to procrastinate the execution of them.

Not long after my arrival at Alexandria, I determined to commence a journey from that place to the westward, for the purpose of ascertaining the site of the temple of Jupiter.* Perhaps you will not agree with me in thinking that the account we have of it in three or four of the ancient writers, is sufficiently clear and precise to afford to such an attempt much prospect of success. I, however, saw the matter as I wished to find it, in a favorable light; and, accordingly, after some delay from frivolous causes, but which not being in one's own power are to be yielded to with patience, I was enabled to execute my design. I proceeded along the coast for the space of near nine

* Mr. Browne's account of this journey occupies from p. 14 to 29 of his Travels. He was the first among the moderns who discovered the situation of this famous temple. Six years afterwards, Horneman detected the Fons Solis mentioned by Hero. dotus and Quintus Curtius,

days, at the end of which time I conceive myself to have been about twenty-five miles east of AlBareton, the ancient Parætonium, to which I need not tell you Alexander led his army. From thence in a direction for some time south, and then south-west, five days more brought me to the small republic called Siwa. At this place I ex-. pected to gain intelligence of the ruins, if any remained, of the temple; but in vain nothing of the kind was known to the inhabitants; and, though I directed my inquiries to persons who pretended to be acquainted with the country to a great distance, nothing which they said contributed to raise my hopes. Determined, however, not to relinquish, if it were possible to prosecute, what had been begun, I proposed to take one of the Siwese with me, and explore the country in the proper direction. But this was positively refused me by the people, who, having originally received me as a Christian with every mark of aversion, and threatened to force me to turn Mahometan or go back to Alexandria immediately, at this proposal flamed with the most furious. resentment. At length, after having waited six or seven days, partly by the suaviter in modo, partly by the fortiter in re, partly by presents, partly by patience, I was enabled to effect my purpose; and, taking with me two of the inhabitants and the camels I had brought from Alexandria, advanced to the west. During this time I was constantly in latitude a little above 29°. On the sixth at noon, I found the latitude as nearly as it could be fixed 28°. 40". Here I was obliged