Letter received by Banks from John Walker, 10 March 1804 (Series 72.195) - No. 0003

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& Fra: Aytono Turchi an Armenian, made by order of Pope Clem.tn [Clementine] 5th in 1307.  5.  Those of the Brothers Pizigani in 1367 in the Library at Parma & that of Andrea Bianchi in 1436 preserved in the library of St.Mark.  6.  The Celebrated one of Fra: Mauro.  7. Two Cosmographical Dictionaries, one in the Monastery of San Michele di Murano at Venice, the other in that of S. Giovanni di Carbonara at Naples, with various Geographical MSS:  in other Italian Libraries . 

          The Nautical Establishment of Du. Henry in Portugal & the Subsequent gradual application of Mathematical Principles to the projection of Maps, with the discussion of the Question whether America had been seen by any of the Navigators previous to Columbus might close the work.  I ought to apologise, & must crave your indulgence for thus intruding on your valuable time, which was not my intention at the commencement of the letter.  Unfortunately I know little or nothing of the Hist.y of the Planisphere, which the Card.l Borgia had the goodness to send me last year.   The Domestic affliction which we experienced in the Summer by the loss of my eldest Daughter, so completely deranged my usual occupations, that my foreign Correspondence with other things, has been thrown into the background, but I will endeavour to write to the Card.l on the Subject in a post or two.