called Pompey's,* which, perhaps, have not yet been mentioned.

It will hardly be saying any thing new to tell you, that the greater part of the Europeans here are out of the dregs of Venice, Ragusa, Leghorn, &c. and in general low enough in point of knowledge and of principle. I feel a considerable obstacle in not being able to speak Arabic, but do not despair of attaining it. I have observed the language to be pronounced least gutturally by those, who, from their situation, may be supposed to speak it most correctly. Previously to leaving London, I mentioned to you having called on Sir Joseph Banks without being fortunate enough to see him. I was referred to Beaufoy, whom I also called on, but without success; a circumstance that gave me no anxiety, the volume of African Transactions being already in my possession. If this book should fall into your hands, you will perhaps agree with me that it contains but little that merits perusal. Ledyard, the man employed by the society on the Sennaar expedition, was a very unfit person; and, though he had lived, would not have advanced many leagues on the way, if the judgment of people in Egypt concerning him be credited. In visiting

*

Upon this subject Mr. Browne says no more in his Travels than that "not even so much of the inscription as Pococke copied is now to be distinguished." I need scarcely add, that the ultimate elucidation of this inscription was reserved for Colonel Leake, Mr. W. Hamilton, and Lieut. Squire, whose account of it is recorded by Dr. Raine in the fifteenth volume of the Archæologia, p. 59-64.

Abyssinia, one of the chief difficulties arises from the odium theologicum, with which those of the Greek church persecute the missionaries of the Romish, whose conduct under the Portuguese is still preserved in remembrance, and whom they expect to find, under whatever appearance a traveller may assume. I do not design easily to relinquish my plan, but can as yet form no predictions as to its success. Cairo will be the next stage, where I mean to proceed in a few days. I was sorry to be obliged to transport your books with me their presence is not necessary to remind me of the owner, or to keep alive the esteem I feel for him. Not knowing the period of any my motions, I can only say that a line directed to me, to the care of G. Baldwin, Esq., British consul, Alexandria, will most probably find me in Egypt or Syria.

of

DR. JAMES ANDERSON TO MR. PINKERTON.

Edinburgh, Feb 12th, 1792.

I wrote to you about ten days ago, which I hope you received. The reason I trouble you at present is to beg your assistance in forwarding a Bill, T. Johnes, M.P. for Radnorshire, means to bring into Parliament this session, about which he has written to me just now, and which I think you must approve of. It is intended to establish a universal repository for printed papers in London, somewhat on the plan that was mentioned in one

of the numbers of the Bee. He wrote to me, to make out a scroll of what clauses I should think necessary to be inserted in the Bill, which I have sent to him. A copy of this I also transmit to you for your inspection and correction.*

I have

*As the opinion of so eminent a man as Dr. Anderson can scarcely be considered otherwise than worth recording, upon a subject so closely affecting the vital interests of literature, I here transcribe what he inclosed to Mr. Pinkerton, intitled "Scroll to be altered and amended as shall be thought proper.

"Whereas it would contribute much to the advancement of literature, if a general repository were established in this country, where every book, pamphlet, or paper of any sort that shall be in future printed in Great Britain, might be preserved for the use of the public, may it therefore please your majesty, &c.

"It is hereby enacted, &c., That, from and after the first day of June next, all printers in Great Britain, and in the islands of Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney, Sark, Man, and the northern Scottish Isles, shall deliver to (say the collector of stamp-duties in the district where such printers reside, or in some other district in Britain, or to any other person whom the lords of his majesty's treasury shall nominate for that purpose,) two copies of every book, pamphlet, or paper, without receiving any price for the same, that shall be printed by them or their servants, and that within the space of one kalendar month after the last sheet of such book or pamphlet, or the last copy of any paper smaller than one sheet shall have been worked off. These two copies to be furnished at the expense of the owner of such book, pamphlet, or paper; and, if any printer shall fail to deliver such two copies of such book, pamphlet, or paper, as above set forth, he or she shall forfeit and pay, as a penalty for such transgression, one guinea for each sheet of paper contained in one copy of such book, pamphlet, or paper so printed, if it amounts to one or more sheets; and in like manner one guinea for each paper, however small in size it may

not the honor of being personally known to Mr. Johnes; but, from his letters, he appears to be one

be, that shall have been so omitted. And, when such books, pamphlets, or papers, shall be delivered to the collector of stamp-duties, or other person authorised to receive the same, the bearer shall be entitled to demand, and the receiver is hereby required to grant, a receipt for the same, without fee or reward; the person who brings the books or papers being required to bring along with him or her a receipt or receipts ready written out for that purpose. In these receipts shall be specified the day and place of delivery, the complete title of the book or pamphlet, the printer's name and place of abode, the form in which it is printed (that is, folio, or 4to., or 8vo., &c.,) the number of pages, with the first and the last three words it contains, if not exceeding one volume, and, if more than one volume, the number of pages in each volume of which it consists, with the three first and the three last words of each volume mentioned seriatim, according to their order, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, &c.; and, if it be a single detached paper with or without any distinct title, the receipt shall specify, in a few words, its nature, with the three first and the three last words, all for the sake of identifying the several articles; which receipt thus prepared shall be copied into a book or books to be kept by the receiver of the papers for that purpose, and then signed by him and delivered back to the bearer, for his exoneration, in case of being afterwards challenged.

"And it is further ordained, that the receiver of such books and papers shall, once in three months at farthest, or oftener, if need be, transmit to London by some safe mode of conveyance one of the copies he has received of each book, pamphlet, or paper, together with an exact transcript of his book of entries, addressed to the lords of the treasury, or to such other persons as they shall appoint for receiving the same, by whom they shall be bound up in volumes and disposed in a proper form for preservation, in a repository to be provided for that purpose. The second copy of such books and papers to be transmitted in like manner to Edinburgh, there to be preserved for the use of the public in a repository to be provided for that purpose; but

of the most obliging men I have ever met with, and fond of promoting literature. I have sent this under his cover, and informed him that it concerns this business; so that, if you think it proper to make any remarks or suggest any improvements, I am persuaded you will find him ready to attend to them. He writes to me that he has spoken already to Mr. Dundas, Mr. Rose, and several other ministerial persons on the subject, who favor the proposal; and that he means to apply to the chancellor and Mr. Pitt as soon as

under this express limitation, that, in case any of the copies that shall have been transmitted to London shall have been, by any unavoidable accident, damaged or destroyed, the deficiency thus arising shall be supplied from the repository in Edinburgh; so that the collection in London may be perfectly complete. And, if any of the books or papers, through the carelessness or the inattention of the person who receives them, shall be omitted to be sent to the general repository, or lost or damaged while in his possession, he shall be liable to the same penalties as the printer would have been subjected to, should he have neglected to deliver them to him.

And when such a repository shall be provided for receiving these books and papers in London and in Edinburgh, they shall be there so arranged as to admit of being easily found. For that purpose, catalogues shall be made out in a proper form, and duly continued, and published from time to time, for the information of the public. The doors of this repository shall be kept open for a certain number of hours each lawful day, during which hours the public shall have admittance to it, for inspecting and for making extracts from the papers therein contained, under such regulations as shall be afterwards adopted for that purpose. But on no account, nor by any authority, short of an act of Parliament, shall any book or paper belonging to this repository be permitted to be carried out of it."