334. To Humphry Davy Address: Mr Davy | Pneumatic Institution | Hotwells | BristolSingle MS. Royal Institution. Pub. E. L. G. i. 139. Statnped: Bridg. Saturday Morning [ 7 June 1800] 2 Mr T. Poole's Nether Stowey, Somerset. My dear Davy I sent you on Tuesday last a letter, inclosing 5£, being 5 shillings less than I owe you----in the same letter I craved a little of your acid, with a scrawl stating in what cases it might be used.----As my Letters go by cross post, I am anxious to know whether you have received it -- because by the same post I sent a much larger ____________________ 1 Mrs. Elizabeth Inchbald ( 1753-1821), novelist, dramatist, and actress. 2 Since Coleridge tells Davy that the acid must be sent 'before Thursday, if at all', and since he was in Bristol on Thursday, 12 June, this letter must have been written on 7 June. -589- sum up to the North. -- If you can, send me a little tiny bottle of the acid, sending it to Mrs Fricker, No / 10, Stokes Croft, with a note to her -- desiring her to have it delivered to Milton, the Stowey Carrier, for me. This must be done before Thursday, if at all. I have now finally determined on the North -- so Much for Business. -- I received a very kind Letter from Godwin, in which he says, that he never thinks of you but with a brother's feelings of love & expectation.-----Indeed, I am sure, he does not. -- I think of translating Blumenbach's manual of natural History 1 -it is very well written, & would, I think, be useful to Students as an admirable direction to their studies, & to others it would supply a general Knowlege of the subject -- I will state the contents of the book -- 1 Of the Naturalia in general, and their division into three Kingdoms. 2 of organized Bodies in general. 3. of animals in general. 4 of the Mammalia. 5. Birds. 6. -- Amphibions. 7 Fishes. 8. Insects. 9 Worms. 10. Plants. 11. of Minerals in general. 12. of Stones, and earthy Fossils. 13. of Mineral Salts. 14. combustible minerals. 15. of Metals. 16. Petrifactions -- at the end there is an alphabetical Index---- / so that it is at once, a Natural History & a dictionary of Natural History. To each animal &c all the European names are given -- with, of course, the scientific characteristics --. -I have the last Edition, i.e. that of April 1799. -- Now I wish to know from you whether there is in English already any work, any work of one Volume (this would make 800 pages) that renders this useless.----In short, should I be right in advising Longman to undertake it?----Answer me as soon as you conveniently can. -Blumenbach has been no very great discoverer, tho' he has done some respectable things in that way; but he is a man of enormous knowlege, & has an arranging head.----Ask Beddoes, if you do not know. -- When you have leisure, you would do me a great service, if you would briefly state your metaphysical system of Impressions, Ideas, Pleasures, & Pains, the laws that govern them, & the reasons which induce you to consider them as essentially distinct from each other. -- My motive for this request is the following -- As soon as I settle, I shall read Spinoza & Leibnitz -- and I particularly wish to know wherein they agree with, & wherein differ from, you. If you will do this, I promise you to send you the result -- & with it my own creed. -- God bless you | & S. T. Coleridge ____________________ 1 J. F. Blumenbach, Beyträge zur Naturgeschichte, 1790. Coleridge did not carry out his intention of translating the work. -590- Blumenbach's Book contains references to all the best writers on each subject. -- My friend T. Poole begs me to ask what in your opinion are the parts or properties in the Oak bark which tan skins, and is cold water a complete menstruum for those parts or properties? -- I understand from Poole, that nothing is so lit[tie] understood as the chemical Theory of Tan[ning], tho' nothing is of more importance, in the circle of Manufactures. -- In other words, does Oak bark give out to cold water all those of it's parts which tan[?] --