13 



* Mr. D avail to J. E. Smith. 



Orbe, May 5, 1789: 

 My dear Sir, Canton de Berne en Suisse. 



For a considerable time past I had formed the 

 project of sitting- down to write to you. A journey 

 to Berne, another to Lausanne, the illness and death 

 of one of my aunts with its consequent employ- 

 ments, together with the care of my garden, had 

 occasioned me to defer writing till I was most 

 agreeably awakened by your kind letter. 



If I may conclude from the inexpressible satisfac- 

 tion and delight I experience at the sight of a letter 

 from you, — from the portion of my thoughts which 

 you occupy, from the anxiety concerning your 

 health, — you are of all other beings the one who 

 interests me most ; and were botany quite out of 

 the question, I think I could say as much from the 

 high esteem your conversation and character have 

 created in me. 



While I think of it, let me tell you, that of late 

 we have had flights of Ampelis garrulus; and that 

 the other day a friend sent me the Oriolus Galbula, 

 shot among twelve or fifteen. I examined an insect 

 yesterday, which I make Hister quadrimaculatus . 

 Is this rare ? — I have a specimen, at this moment 

 in press for you, of Ribes alpinum, &c. &c. 



One of the most lovely plants of this country is 

 coming into flower in my little garden, the Astra- 

 galus monspessulanus . 



N.B. I have seen an old book in German, the 

 title "Feuillee, Description of the Medicinal Plants 



