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Title: P Collenson, London, to Arthur Dobbs, Carrickfergus.
ID671
CollectionIrish Emigration Database
FileCollenson, P/7
Year1750
SenderCollenson, P.
Sender Gendermale
Sender Occupationbusinessman
Sender Religionunknown
OriginLondon, England
DestinationCarrickfergus, Co. Antrim, N.Ireland
RecipientDobbs, Arthur
Recipient Gendermale
Relationshipbusiness
SourceD 162/49: Presented by Major A.F. Dobbs, Castle Dobbs Carrickfergus, CoAntrim: Per Mr A.E. Dobbs. #TYPE LET P Collenson, London, to Arthur Dobbs, Castle Dobbs, Carrickfergus, Co Antrim: March 10 1750.
ArchivePublic Record Office, N. Ireland.
Doc. No.8911063
Date10/03/1750
Partial Date
Doc. TypeLET
Log20:11:1989 LT created 22:06:1990 CD input 27:06:19
Word Count1080
Genre
Note
TranscriptTo Arthur Dobbs Esq
Castle Dobbs
CarrickFergus
Ireland

P Collenson
March 8th
1750

London March 10th 1750
When any oppertunity [opportunity?] offers pray send an acct [account?] how
your protestants schooles [schools?] goes on & what premium are given to the
Dublin society for improving arts & sciences _ I am much delighted with Sr
Cox's Lett [letter?] to Prior _ I have sent to [?] america to encourage new
beginers [beginners?] in any branch of improvement I have been long in
expectation of seeing my good friend Here as usual _ I have had a packet
from Pensilvania [Pennsylvania?] has lain by mee [me?] some months for your
comeing [coming?] but as you dont Intend us that pleasure I will send it to
Mr Smiths [?]om to be sent by their conveyance I was glad at the sight of
yours for now all my Doubts & fears are dessipated [dissipated?] _ It is
very fortunate for our friend Bartran that all his cargoes in Ireland &
Engld [England?] came safe. I have I think a dozen boxes more ordred
[ordered?] this year all new people so you may see how the Laudable Spirit
of planting prevails Here _ The cargo of Living plants are curious sorts _
The great Chamo[tho?]dodendron may be easily known by its thick laurel like
leaves _ it grows on their mountains in a cold Region where there is
frequent Rains & Springs _ the Rose Laurel is remarkable for its Leaves
being of a Laurel figure but less and of a Bleuish [blueish?] Cast on their
backsides _ the [?] service is a pretty forward tree with small oval leaves
& white Blossoms is now in flower in my garden
I have the same account from others that above Tens Thousd
[thousand?] Germans came to Pensilvania [Pennsylvania?] besides what went
to the other colonies _ Certainly the German pri[n?]ces are glad to suffer
the Riches of their country to go out by thousands but the oppression of
the last warr [war?] & their [princes?] & [priests?] drives these poor
wretches at any rate to gett [get?] from under such Tyranny _
Wee [we?] have had as well as you no winter Except a few frosty
mornings at Xmas all has been mild & warm since to surpriseing
[surprising?] Degree & wee [we?] have had the least rain fall since June
last that ever was remembred [remembered?] & no snow the Barges could not
come down the River Well, was empty & our ponds w[ants?] [filling?] _ but
our feilds [fields?] have had all this winter the most Delightfull
[delightful?] Verd[ure?] as in May & Grass [in?] [our?] Rich Grounds is
[higher?] than I have know[n?] some years in April & May _ the corn of all
kinds is very prosperous _ Wether [Whether?] God intends this for a
Blessing or a scourge time will shew [show?] _ for if late frosts & Blasts
should ensue all our Hopes will Vanish, we had a specimen
the last day of feby [February?] so s[mart?] & Frost happen that it
is said there was not so thick Ice any time this winter _ a second night
woald [would?] have demolished but delightfull [delightful?] weather has
been ever since
No doubt but you heard of our Earthquake the shock was Very
violent Multitudes ran out of their Houses [thinking?] them falling, it was
proceeded [preceded?] with Dis[tant?] rumbling [noise?] some slight damages
happen'd [happened?] to Old Houses & Chimnies [chimneys?] _ before & since
has been a[uroras?] onto the south & two to the north _ It's extent from West
to East was from [Twickenham?] to Greenwic[h?] and about 4 miles north &
south of the Citty [City?] but that seem'd [seemed?] to be the center
[centre?] of it's affects [effects?] _
The Ohio Company goes on briskley [briskly?] I [A?] great quantity
of Good & fine cloths for [?] are gone to Engage our New Allies to be firm
to our [Interest?] _ the French have sent [Threatening?] Letters to all our
Governt [Government?] not to offer our People to come near their Boards _
which they have taken care to make Large Enough It is an old
obse[rv?]ation?] they have gott [got?] more by politick [politic?] for our
Commissans [Commissions?] to goods comeing [coming?] to the point but
[Invent?] Delays untill [until?] wee [we?] have gott [got?] sufficiently
[secured?] [in?] [our?] [new?] settlements & [then?] [sell?] our Friend
Hanbury has been so engaged in Marrying his Daught [Daughter?] & many other
ways that it is possible he may forget to answer yrs [yours?] however I will
[endeavour?] to remind Him _ al [all?] our society wee [we?] have had
Little of M[om?]ent Except Electrical experiments & some [curious?]
mathematical papers _ I am glad to hear Some Germans are gone to yr [your?]
Estate in No [North?] Carolina, & other colonies for pe[akboard?] will be
overdone by them _ there has been with mee [me?] two agents who are gone
over to procure a party for Maryland, for Lord Baltimore is very de[sirous?]
of them & gives them great encouragement for he plainly sees by the
neighbouring Colony of what consequence they are to a proprietor
I never was within Scots Stores so cannot answer for their contrivance _
Pines are in great demand Here, so many gentlm [gentlemen?] build stores and
indeed of all the foreign Fruits wee [we?] have yet tasted this only
deserves the [Expense?] & preference to year old plants are to be had from
six pence to half a Crown according to their sizes
Two years old Fruiting plants from 5s _ 6d: 10s:6d the best way of
Transporting Them is to pack them in very dry moss heads & tails in a box
bored with small holes on all sides _ Thus I had them come from Barbados in
fine order _ wee [we?] had again the same Day month the 8th [instant?] at
half past Five in the morning another astonishing shock of an earthquake wch
[which?] shook violently the Citty [City?] & the Country all round Longer &
smarter than before _ God only knows the event these shocking Phenomena _
I am my Dear frd [friend?] much yrs [yours?]
P Collenson
As you have had a great deal of stormy weather the sea may have thrown up
much of its hidden Treasure pray order somebody to pick up what ever they
can find _ and in yr [your?] Digging and Delving [delving?] what Fossells
[fossils?] are thrown up lay them by for mee [me?]