{div-startdate}Edin[burgh] July 5th 1762.
{div-startdate}Sir,
The Study of Botany has become very general in this City, and your books in
great Reputation, being much recommended by our new Professor D[octor] John
Hope. We have often found difficulty in getting them from Holland, & they have
always been chargd to as at a high price. Tho we have not the pleasure of being
known to you yet we flatter ourselves you will be so good as to excuse the freedom
we use in applying to you for direction, in what manner we can get your books and at
the easiest rate. We hope your inclination to indulge the lovers of this Science, will
prevent upon you to take this trouble. We have marked out a list on the other side of
such of your books as we woud incline to have, and if you will be so good as to give
directions, to the Bookseller who sells them, to put them up in a bale & send them
either to Hamburgh, or Gottenbourg, & order his Correspondent there to put them on
board of the first ship for Leith, addressd to us, we will immediatly pay his draught
for the amount, so soon as we have receivd the Invoyce & bill of loading. It will be
very oblidgeing if in course you will give an answer to this, because, if we cannot be
provided thro your means, we must apply some where else, for we must take care to
provide in this time for our Clases. We are with very great Respect
Sir
Your most Humble Serv[an]ts
John Balfour Co.
Our address is:
To Gavin Hamilton & John Balfour
Booksellers in Edinburgh, Scotland.
25 Linnaei Genera Plantarum
25 Linnaei Systema Naturae vol. 2d
25 Do vol. 3d if publishd
6 Do Vol. 1st
12 Linnaei Philosophia Botanica
12 Linnaei Species Plantarum 2 Vol.
3 Linnaei Amoenitates Academicae 5 Vols. also vol. 6th if publishd
6 Linnaei Flora Suecica new Edit.
6 Linnaei Materia medica new Edit.
4 Linnaei Fauna Suecica
We woud chuse likewise to have two three Copys of any other book publishd either
by your self, or such as you recommend, & we flatter our selves that the Bookseller
will be very reasonable in his prices, as we are to pay ready money, and it may be an
introduction to fu[rther] Correspondence.
{div-signature}J[ohn] B[alfour]
{div-address}A Monsieur
Monsieur Linnaeus Chevalier de l’Etoile
polaire, Medicin ordinaire au Roy du
Suede
Upsal
en Suede