Letter to Dr. John Fothergill from Lionel Chalmers, 1775

Letter to Dr. John Fothergill from Lionel Chalmers, 1775

1775

Three letters written to Dr. Lionel Chalmers in the 1770s. Two came from Dr. John Fothergill in London, England, and Dr. Alexander Garden wrote the third letter in this collection. They discussed botany and medicine.

2023-05-03

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Ms. 24, Lionel Chalmers, correspondence

English

Ms24_Let3

London 15th X. 1775.

Dear Doctor

I have reserved all thy very affectionate and affecting letters. Answers to some of them will I hope be received before this time. Enough to show that it is neither from indifference or neglect, that I have suffered so many opportunitys of conveyance to escape with a letter from me. It may be enough to say, that of all mankind I am perhaps one of the least unoccupied.

I shall say very little of publick affairs, tho' the subject is very near both our hearts. A judicial blindness is permitted to befall us for our mutual chastisement. We have gone great lengths in every species of infinity [?], with every favourable [illegible] to incline us to the opposite. You have followed us too fast

and we shall be made our mutual distress., It will be happy if we are kept out of worse hands. I mean out of the reach of correction by our surrounding Enemys, who rejoice to see us rushing furiously to our reciprocal destruction.

Every

(first page)
Every motive is now combined to force us to look up to heaven for deliverance from the impending evils. Happy if we fly to that seat of refuge let the event be what it may.

An act is now in agitation to restrain all your commerce, I see it is laying the corner stone of your becoming The Greatest Maritime power that has ever yet existed

and a time must come, when this Kingdom must look up to you for protection and support, and this at no great distance. – But enough of this, the Southern parts of America, your colony and its neighbors may possibly be come the Phorsaken [?] plains, but we shall lose you, and if you hate us as much as many here hate you, this country will be undone.

[illegible] by his conduct has abused me much. I am sorry that I have done every thing for a worthless fellow, that I could have done for an honest one. But he will reap the fruits of his ingratitude

and the time may come when the country at [?] every benefit from him. I mean the intimations [?] he has given you, however superficial and inadequate, I have done with him.

(second page)
I could wish well, Bartram would confine his rambles, within narrower bounds. My last which I hope will be safely delivered, will mention my opinion on this subject. I would have him employ all the time he can spare in drawing correctly, such new plants as he may discover, These may be preserved till some convenient opportunity offers of sending them, and on this condition I shall continue his salary, and for this he may draw upon me as opportunity may afford.

Thy book is printed, all but the introduction, it is in two octavo volumes, When finished I will send some copys if any conveyance offers, and pay in the meantime what the Bookseller will give me, to thee [?] I suggest.

The general ignorance in this country of what America is, or its
consequence to this country prevents any material fluctuation in the national credit. It is not less credible than true that the loss of two or three East India men and of any trifling fortress in that country would affect our Stocks much more than the news of the loss of all America! Even the people in power are most grossly misled in this respect.

I have only time to say that I am thy very affectionate Frd.
J. Fothergill
Dr. Fothergill, 1775.

To Dr. Lionel Chalmers
In Charleston
South Carolina