340 A DECADE OF WORK AT HOME. [1846, 



before the July vacation. . . . The contemplated expe- 

 dition is a land one, from Lake Superior by North Pass 

 to upper Oregon, down to Lewis River ; up that, and 

 then over to the Gila River in California. I know of no 

 botanist to go. Can you find one ? Sprague cannot 

 be spared, and will not leave his wife and family for 

 so long. 



. . . Some of our Congressmen must feel a little 

 ashamed that England is so cool and quiet in spite of 

 all their bluster. Capital for peace that the Peel min- 

 istry is still in. We owe much gratitude to the new 

 Lord Grey. . . . 



TO GEORGE ENGELMANN. 



CAMBRIDGE, April 8, 1846. 



What is Lindheimer about ? Why is not his last 

 year's collection yet with you? We have just got 

 things going, and we can sell fifty sets right off of his 

 further collections, and he can go on and realize a 

 handsome sum of money, if he will only work now ! 

 And he will connect his name forever with the Texan 

 Flora ! 



I am at the " Flora " again and hope to do great 

 things this year, shall work hard and constantly. 



Besides, by the aid of my young and excellent 

 artist Sprague's drawings, and Prestele to engrave 

 cheaply and neatly on stone, I am going to commence 

 a Genera Illustrata of the United States, like T. 

 Nees von Esenbeck's " Genera Germanica Iconibus 

 Illustrata," the plates to be equally good, and 

 quite cheap too. The first volume, one hundred 

 plates, going on regularly from Ranunculaceae, will 

 be preparing this summer, and will be out in the 

 fall. 



