I am much indebted to you, gentlemen, for your attention and civility in the notice I recieve from you of a cask1 of garden seeds from Marseilles, supposed to be intended for me. but I think it probable the Captn was mistaken in supplying from his memory the defacement of the address on the cask. I never had a correspondent in Marseilles but mr Cathalan our late Consul and his successors, and particularly I know nothing of Messrs Hews and Fettyplace. I never requested seeds from that place, nor have I recieved any advice from anyone of this shipment. it has sometimes indeed happened that strangers in foreign countries have address[ed] seeds to me; sometimes with & without notice, with the benevo[lent]2 view of having them propagated, or from personal motives.   if these were really addressed to me, it has been in this way. and in tha[t] case I would request you to offer them to the acceptance of the botanical garden attached to the University of Cambridge; and if charges, duties Et. are3 due on them, on your having the goodness to drop me a note of them, I will immediately remit the amoun[t.] be pleased to accept my respectful salutations.