. 54.] TO R. W. CHURCH. 533 



the new things, and laying out a set for you of all you 

 could wish. But since spring opened, my college 

 work has been so pressing that all else has been in- 

 terrupted, perhaps will be in abeyance till near mid- 

 summer. 



I must not fail to tell you that our good friend Dr. 

 Torrey sailed yesterday for California ! via the Isth- 

 mus, to return three or four months hence, perhaps 

 overland. 



He is a much trusted officer of government, as assayer 

 of the United States assay office at New York, and 

 the secretary of the treasury, knowing that he needs 

 some respite and change, has arranged this trip for 

 him, upon business of the department, by no means of 

 an onerous character. 



He has long wished to set eyes upon California, 

 and I am glad he has such a pleasant opportunity of 

 doing so. 



TO R. W. CHURCH. 



May 1, 1865. 



I have long wished to communicate with you, but 

 it is long since I have written any but pressing let- 

 ters ; a large and ever-increasing scientific correspond- 

 ence and various business matters absorbing all my 

 leisure and powers, as the times and events also ab- 

 sorb our thoughts. You can imagine how deeply we 

 have felt, rejoiced, and suffered during the last month 

 or so. 



Well, " treason has done its worst," and rebellion, 

 as an organized power, is essentially brought to an 

 end. Slavery is done away, and we have now the 

 task of establishing a new and better order of things 

 at the South, of replacing barbarous by civilized and 



