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Strangeways July 22d 98
Sir Joseph
Last night I received your letter, I cannot help writing to you immediately again.
With regard to the gentleman of Manchester, I am unacquainted with; but, I know so far as this, that if I was to state your proposal it would not be attended to. Take Manchester and its vicinity, and weigh the talents of the people, it will not be outvied in the nation in the number of genii nor indocti. It is a place where large fortunes have been accumulated, but, not in general by those persons of genius, but by those that had money to lay out, sometimes by a man of property taking in a partner that knew the trade, though destitute of money. When trade was in a flourishing state, an ignorant person that had money to lay out, might have reaped plenty of gain by giving his workmen good wages, his money would soon procure men that knew the manufacturing branch, and, he might loll on his Sofa and have his bottle and glass before him without paying an attention to the business. I know many ingenious mechanics that now labour under great difficulties by the trade being stagnated. If there were such men as the late Sir Ashton Lever here, I durst venture to propose the plan. That spirited gentleman has been very much endured for his rashness, but, I have been told that there has never been such a museum collected in such a space of time and at so little expence, though he gave double the value for many an article; let the public say what they will about him, he threw great light upon Natural history. I was then too young to know anything of such a matter, but I have often regretted his loss.
You mention men of eminence when they were of my age, and in the capacity that I was, that they never complained; permit me to tell you, that I have no doubt but what they were brought up gardiners, and by being among plants it stimulated their ideas for the thoughts of future gain, not only of knowledge, but of the purse. With me it is quite reverse. I was brought up to a Horse carrier, and I may say a good deal in the farming line, but thinking there being that I could follow a better employment to afford time to cultivate my mind, I learn'd to [write ?]; in course of time that branch began to decline; I then returned to my first employment & [indecipherable] at last the eagerness of my mind caused me to write to you.
It is something remarkable that the gentlemen you mention are all authors, and write in the latin language, except one, who calls himself a translator; to me all this is a matter of doubt, for I look upon it the number of those that are brought up gardiners, few have been so lucky as to learn the latin speech, however it is not to tell what the energies of the mind can cause to be done. As Linnaeus has wrote in a technical manner, and made use of few verbs, his works may be easier understood, but, supposing all this, if a latin education is to be learned when arrived at manhood, and the student to work for his livelihood, it will be a long time before he can understand or write the true concordance between the substantive and the adjective, though, [Tinary ?] say it is the easiest concord of the three; but, after all, no man that thinks he can benefit the public and posterity might not be despised, but rather praised, if another write what he wishes to publish.
I perceive that you imagine (perhaps through my saying that I cannot boast of any great knowledge in knowing a great number of plants) that I am unfit to be employed as Botanical Traveller: Now I tell you the sentiments of both my mind and heart, master the best man, nay even two, that the Royal gardens at Kew ever produced, I will engage them both, put together, allowing equal chance for both parties, to go into foreign parts to collect plants. I do not hesitate to say, that I could find more new plants, and send over the fewest ones that are in the nation; at the same time including all the branches that I should notice. I make no doubt but you will think I am boasting to a degree of insanity, but I solemnity now that I should eagerly embrace such an engagement with the greatest pleasure! What few talents I am possessed of are not to be known by seeing me upon a carpet, under the roof of a conservatory, not upon a fine gravel walk in a garden. Let me be tried upon the lofty mountain, the dark and intricate wood, the wide extended plain, the marsh and peaty bog; but for all that I have now said, take