326 SPENCER FULLERTON BAIRD 



I do wish you would give in Silliman a synopsis of genera and 

 species of Cyprinodonts, for the benefit of those who cannot make 

 head or tail of the subject, as must be the case with all except your- 

 self. . . . 



Sincerely yours, 



S. F. BAIRD. 



I 



The summer season this year was spent at Elizabeth- 

 town, New York. The copy of the Journal contains 

 nothing relating to the period between July, 1855, and 

 January, 1859. From some other brief notes I gather 

 that in the summer of 1856 they went to Beasley's Point, 

 and in 1857 and 1858 to Carlisle. 



From John Cassin to Spencer F. Baird. 



PHILA. Apr. 17, 1855. 



. Inclinations differ, Professor, also tastes and talents 

 the scope and verge of ambition being wide enough to afford con- 

 siderable variety one man aspires to universal empire nearly 

 succeeds another is perfectly satisfied with balancing a straw on 

 his nose success better than universal empire and rather astonish- 

 ing how nearly both come out alike in the long run, considerably 

 the same in the upshot, I have somewhat tried, Professor, the 

 universal empire business hereafter my attention shall be directed 

 greatly to the perpendicularity of a straw rightly placed, as above 

 signified. 



No manner of good comes of hard work discretion is the better 

 part of many things besides valor, I will not write letters to oblige 

 everybody, they may be obliged or not and be darned I will 



specially not be used by Sir nor Sir Knight nor Sir 



Squire Anybody else I'll see him, her or them darned first here 

 endeth the first lesson. 



Yours ever, 



J. CASSIN. 



