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APPENDIX.
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Somewhere in the year 1831—1 was twenty—Professor Bucklanil honoured me with liis friendsiiip aud introduced me
to tlie Geological Society. At that early time my Collection of fossils vvas confessedly splendid, and all the world, of
course, on tlie ijui vive about it.
Spurzlieim once told me tliat I possessed the largest acquisitive oigan he ever felt—in 1832 my Collection was
Titanic: " you carry away whole quarries" observed the eminent de la Beche.
Well, I went on, gathering one rarity after another, as a second Cheops witli a million slaves at his imperial beck might,
until in 1833, my Collection exceeded all my powers of accommodation and obliged me to contemplate the disposal of it.
Eminent savans from France visited me and were urgent that their nation should have offer of tlicir sale: but I was tlien no
cosmopolitan—I fraternized willi English only, and declined the advantages and good services they held out, in the forlorn
hope that our own government might purchase posthumous fame by easing me of “ Ireasurics" too vast for the safe custos of
an individual. The result of my application to the Honourable the Trustees of tho British Museum, tlie followine letter
wiU show.— ®
THOMAS HAWKINS, ESQ. TO THE REV. PROFESSOR BUCKLAND.
Bloomsbury Squan. May 13lh, 1833.
I beg you to receive my sincere regards. This afternoon I have been told by the reverend Sccretarj- at the British Museum that
the Trustees expressed much regret that the sum which my CoUeetion was eoafessedly worth exceeded their abihty, aud that it would be
most agreeable to them if goveraiacnt would take up the question. You have obUged me already nnd thU emboldens me to soiieit yet
anotlicr favour at your hands :—would you give me a letter of introduction to th e of , or any other high personnge who
may have influence with his Majesty’s ministers ? This with s direct and energetic letter from yonrsclf would effect all that wc can
desire-the preservation to the nation of my giant Colkction. I am sware that I tale a great liberty with you but I am also
persuaded that you do feel some inteUectual interest in the success of my design; this, with the assurance tliat I have of the ready
attention with which the great flatter your wishes induce me to place all my reliance upon you.
The brief consequence of this appeal to the Professor was to defer my wislies upon the subject until the publication of
this volume, then in tlie press,
Tlie " Memoirs" liave answered for themselves—suffice it, the plates occupied my unwearied attention more than a
twelvemonth, and when the work was completed tlie following letter accompanied the Professor’s presentation copy :
THOMAS HAWKINS, ESQ. TO THE REV. PROFESSOR BUCKLAND.
Sbarpham Park, Glaslonbury, June, 1833,
1 have, at lengtli, Ihe honour to preaeut you with my work on the Sauri; would to lieaven that I could add the pleasure, also.
But, although I am disappointed with the performance, and feel very chagrined that it should come so very far short of my hopes, and
bo so little wortliy of your nolice, yet I must beg you to bcheve that the experience I have acquired shall be applied to the eorreclion
of such indiscretions of style as now claim your indulgence, for tho future, and that my most fervent aspiration is to produce such a
work as shall be really worthy your high name and approbation.
For tho last two or throe years I have entertained a notion that a graplric synopsis of the Zoological contents of the Lias formation,
illustrated with many plates, would he a valuable addition to geological science, and to tliis end I have gathered every thing
indiscriinmatcly, until my drawers groan with shells, sauri, plants; I have subjects for 500 plates—many of them unique as ophiure.
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