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[Page 3]
town, but was very ill received, & sent instantly to Pavia, where he now is, but the whole Story is so public that I can scarcely think he will stay there. I did not choose to be presented to him, but went to hear his lecture: his aspect is gloomy & supercilious, his delivery drawling & affected, but his lecture was admirably composed. It was on the different lengths of time which different butterflies remain in the pupa; he told us nothing new, but it was so well told that I forgot all his faults as I listened to him. You may communicate what you please of this, but I think Fontana's name had better be kept to yourself. Nothing could exceed the civility of Scopoli. He had thought of writing a new Syst: Veg:m, finding the imperfection of Murray's; but when I told him what we had done towards it, he voluntarily offered me all his notes to make what use I please of them. Gerard has done the same, & several others, so that I shall seriously think of it, but shall consult you about it at leisure. Between ourselves I think a little reserve to the french Parisians would not be amiss; I am on the best footing possible with them now, but they are horribly invidious to each other & possibly to us. I believe the box from Naples will go in the cutter that carries a set of china to our King from his Sicilian Majesty; Pacifico will address it to a friend of his in London who will send it to you. The 3 foreign Letters I beg the favor of you to forward to Broussonet's for me at your leisure; shall not be there till ye end of Aug:st [August]. I have set Mr. Oriani at Milan to look for Herschells Volcanos, & he has found them. I think Scopoli is too hasty in publishing. The Physis w:ch [which] he unfortunately has dedicated to you is nothing but the trachea [?] & oesophagus of a fowl! if you saw his [indecipherable] you would pity him; he promises