. 22.] TO JOHN TORREY. 41 



obtain. It set alcohol, ether, spirits of turpentine, 

 etc., on fire. I did not try it upon phosphorus. Shall 

 prepare it again in a few weeks for class experiments. 

 I am, Sir, Yours respectfully, 



A. GRAY. 



UTICA, March 22, 1834. 



I thankfully acknowledge the receipt of your letter 

 of the 1st inst., and am delighted to learn that you 

 contemplate giving a course of botanical lectures be- 

 fore you leave the city. I hope the plan will succeed, 

 and that you will have a large and very fashionable 

 class. My journey was as tedious as rain and bad 

 roads could make it. The first night, being alone in 

 the coach, I was upset by the carelessness of a drunk- 

 en driver. The top of the coach, striking against a 

 stone wall, was broken in ; but I escaped, narrowly in- 

 deed, without any injury excepting a few rents in my 

 clothes. At the end of the route, I had the satisfac- 

 tion of seeing the driver dismissed from his employ- 

 ment. On my arrival at Bridgewater I found a child 

 of my friend and former medical preceptor, 1 a favorite 

 little daughter, dangerously, almost hopelessly sick 

 with inflammation of the brain. I was consequently 

 detained several days, and before I left had the satis- 

 faction of seeing the little patient convalescent. I 

 am now in fine working order and busily engaged in 

 my chemical course. 



Dr. Hadley called upon me yesterday and I gave 

 him the little " notions ' you sent by me. He 

 was much pleased, but was especially delighted with 

 the condensed sulphurous and anhydrous sulphuric 

 acids. 



1 Dr. Trowbridge. 



