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[Page 5]
about £75 money it cannot be otherwise & this is not to be wonderd at when it is considerd that the drawings which if made by English artists would have cost at least 3 some guineas each are supplied to the Company without any charge
if then the Court are pleasd to advance £300 upon the first Fasciculus & £200 upon each of the others till money comes in from the sale of them, which at the end of Two years will probably be the case, £500 will be the whole demand of the first year & £900 the whole to be advanced on a speculation which in the end instead of being expensive is very likely to become an advantageous concern
For my part I am most ready to undertake the general overlooking of the work, & to set the engravers their Tasks & to see that they are executed with accuracy, Dr. Rupell Dr Roxburghs predecessor will I am sure readily assist in correcting the Press of the descriptions & if the Court chuse to employ the Kings bookseller Mr George Nicol, who I principally recommend because he assisted me in the publication of Capt Cooks voyage, by which the board of Admiralty as a public body have got some credit, I have little doubt that the Court of Directors will also reap the credit due to a body who liberally protect science when they have