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senses to the act of fecundation and gravidation ; 

 and if some of our Greek scholars put any difficulty 

 to the derivation of the word Kvafxoc from kvw, — which 

 he can very reasonably do, since there is no forcible 

 analogy in that language to bring the one from the 

 other, — we can stop his mouth, presenting him the 

 verb Kva/jiilu), a verb by the common consent of 

 grammarians derived from kvw. If I had here at 

 hand philological books, as I have of natural hi- 

 story, something should be done to illustrate the 

 archaeology of this new genus ; but still I will go 

 to the library of the British Musaeum, and try to 

 make a classical nosegay for the christening of so 

 classical a genus. So Cyamus let it be, and Cyamus 

 for ever ! 



Since your departure three new botanical works 

 have appeared, viz., Thunberg's Monngraphia of the 

 Hermannice, and Major Velley's and Mr. Stack- 

 house's works on the Fuci. These last I believe to 

 be very good books ; but the physiological part is 

 so obscure and vague, that I have dared to do a little 

 memoir myself on the fecundation of submersed 

 plants, which I defer reading till after your return : 

 because I confide in your friendship, you will not 

 treat me in this and other such occasions as Ray 

 treated Sir Hans Sloane. The docility and deference 

 which you always will find in me for your advices, 

 will, I hope, entitle me to your kind patience ancj 

 inspection in my botanical undertakings. 



Days ago I was at Lee's with our fellow Lambert ; 

 and, as many species of Verbascum unknown to me 

 were in blossom, I tried in all of them the phaeno- 



