C i 3
T O HI S E X C E L L E N C Y
J O H N S T R A N G E , E sq. ;
HIS BRITANNICK MAJESTY’S MINISTER A T VENICE,
FELLOW OF TH E ROYAL SOCIETY, &c. &c.
Concerning the HifiriEl o f S p a l a t r g .
T H E literary correfpondenee, which, for fame years, you.
have condefcended to hold with me, would give you a
fight to my ©bfervations in Dalmatia, even i f my firft fteps in
that kingdom had not been made in confequence o f your good-
nefs and friendihip for me. But as I owe entirely to you the
honour and advantage o f having accompanied, through a part o f
Dalmatia, the learned and amiable Lord Hervey, biihop of
Londonderry, the continuation o f w-hofe valuable Friendihip is a
conftant fpur to rhy gratitude, I ihotdd think myfelf wanting,
in a very material duty, i f I did not addrefs at leaft a part o f
my obfervations to you. A t the fame time, I mull confefs,
that i f I did- not know you to be a true and profound philolo-
pher, I might be aihaUied o f the little I have to offer you,
and Ihould think it an ill chofen time for fuch an offering,
when you are juft returning from a journey in the Alps o f
Switzerland, and Auvergne; from whence you will certainly
bring to us many magnificent objefts o f meditation; What a
difference between Germany; and France, and Dalmatia! Bcfides,
the naturally grand objefirs that prefented themfelves, you have,
moreover, probably found a hundred inflrudUve colleitions and
valuable