1847] BOTANICAL CORRESPONDENCE. 445 



Marcli 10, 1847. 

 Dear Sir, — I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter 

 ■dated January 10, 1847, and in the first place must express to you 

 the high estimation in which I hold the veiy complimentary manner 

 in which you are there pleased to speak of my services to Botany, 

 •especially to the Botany of Britain. It grieves me that the collec- 

 tions which I have sent to you have not consisted of such specimens 

 -as are valuable to you. It is my misfortune, not fault, that such is 

 the case. I sent the best which I had, and shall do so again when 

 •opportunity offers. Amongst those formerly sent were several of 

 •our plantae criticae, in addition to the Hieracium LapeTjrousii (?), which 

 jou mention as the only valuable specimen. I have suffered a very 

 heavy loss in not receiving the fasc. IV. V. viii. and x. of the 

 "Herb. Norm.," as they contain specimens of very many plants, 

 which it has given me great trouble to determine without them ; 

 indeed, in numerous cases, I am obliged to remain in doubt. Your 

 very kind offer of the missing fasciculi is therefore most acceptable 

 to me. ... I have just concluded the preparation of a small parcel 

 ■of specimens for you, which will be sent, with parcels from Dr. 

 Boott and Mr. Borrer, to the Swedish Consul in London in a few 

 days. — Believe me to be, with the greatest respect, most obediently 

 yours, Charles C. Babington. 



Copy of letter to Mons. Charles Gay, on the death of his father, the 

 distinguished Botanist Jacques Etienne Gay, Jan. 16, 1864. 



Cambridge (undated). 

 Sir, — I venture to address you in my native language because 

 I have reason to believe that it is not unknown to you. The 

 intimation of the death of your justly lamented father has caused 

 very much grief to me. I have long known and esteemed him as 

 one of the most eminent botanists in Europe, and should from that 

 -cause alone have very much deplored his death, but you well know 

 that within the last two years I have also obtained a personal 

 acquaintance with him ; an acquaintance, alas, so soon brought to 

 a conclusion. My personal intercourse with your father changed 

 my estimation of him from that of a valued scientific corres- 

 pondent into a sincere personal admiration, and, I may venture to 

 add, an affectionate veneration. A more excellent, kind-hearted, 

 and truly venerable man it has never been my happiness to know, 

 and you will therefore fully understand how very much I lament 

 his decease. The loss to his family is of course much greater than 

 I can attempt to estimate. I hope that it will please the Almighty 

 Disposer of events to enable you to bear the inestimable loss with 

 resignation, and preserve you to hold up his example as a pattern to 

 be followed by yourself and family. I shall carefully keep his letters, 

 and especially the photographic portrait which he kindly gave me, as 

 a means of continually retaining him fully in my memory. — With 

 sincere respect, I remain, yours very truly, Charles C. Babington. 



