Peter Collinson sends Linnaeus a letter through Linnaeus’s student of theology [Johan Sandin] who came to see him. Collinson will do him all the service he can.
Collinson is very honoured by being nominated a member of [“your Learned Royal Society”, i.e.the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences [Kungliga Svenska Vetenskapsakademien, where Collinson was elected a member in 1747]. He feels he does not deserve it but will try to live up to it.
Collinson has sent Linnaeus James Logan’s treatise about the operation of the farina on maize [Collinson refers to Logan’s Experimenta et meletemata de plantarum generatione, published in 1739 with the assistence of Johan Frederik Gronovius, originally communicated to the Royal Society, London as a preliminary essay, “Some experiments concerning the impregnation of the seeds of plants”, and translated into English by John Fothergill, Experiments and considerations on the generation of plants]. It is written in Latin and suitable for reading at a meeting of the Academy.
Cadwallader Colden’s treatise on gravitation is a new system [Collinson refers to Colden’s, An explication of the first causes of action in matter], which Colden wants to have thoroughly examined. Collinson regrets it is written in English and not in Latin, but he is aware that several scholars in Sweden understand English so he hopes it is acceptable. Linnaeus should give the Academy a copy of each of these books in Collinson’s name, and Collinson will send more as soon as he can. Tobias Björk had given them to a captain who was to sail a week ago.
Collinson thanks Linnaeus for several treatises that he has received, especially for Hortus Upsaliensis. Collinson hopes to send Linnaeus some seeds, but Linnaeus should arrange to receive them very soon so that they do not lie undelivered for a year. Collinson will send a pot with a root of Collinsonia by the first ship next spring
Collinson thanks Linnaeus also for Nova plantarum genera, quae [...] praesidie [...] Carolo Linnaeo and he wishes Linnaeus had sent two more copies, one for John Bartram and the other for Colden. Collinson knows they would have been pleased. He also thanks Linnaeus for the copy of Flora Zeylanica. The seeds Collinson had intended to send are not yet delivered.
P.S. 1. He thanks Linnaeus for seeds, which will give him several curious plants in his garden.
P. S. 2. Johann Jacob Dillenius was working at the Pinax when he died [Collinson refers to Dillenius’s work with publishing a continuation of Caspar Bauhin’s, Pinax theatri botanici, the enlarged edition of Pinax theatri botanici from 1623], which he never finished], Collinson does not think his successor [Humphrey Sibthorp] will be able to continue the work.
Collinson has eaten the flesh of North American bear several times, and he thinks it is most agreeable. His friend, a merchant [unidentified], had had young bears brought to England every year and fattened them to make the flesh delightful. It is really fine eating with fat whiter and finer than lambs’ fat.
John Mitchell’ssystem will be published by Christopher Jacob Trew in Nuremberg in a work called “Ephemeridum Caesar” [Collinson refers to ”D.D. Jo. Mitchell Dissertatio brevis de principiis botanicorum et zoologorum”].
Collinson asks if Linnaeus has seen Rudiger’s [Johann Elias Ridinger’s] curious prints of beasts, published in Nuremberg.
Collinson informs Linnaeus that a letter enclosed in another letter with a cover takes double postage in England, while letters written on the same sheet of paper pay single postage.
Collinson’s garden is very beautiful, for there has been no frost, a long and dry summer and autumn. The grapes are very ripe, and there is very good profit in wine-making this year in England.
Hans Sloane is hearty, and Philip Miller is well.
Letter L6094 from John Mitchell to Linnaeus is written on the margins of the sheet.