247 



from a place near the frontiers Segowly ; and so 

 anxious was I to avert the ruin which would inevi- 

 tably result, were the specimens allowed to remain 

 in Bengal during the rains, which have been pour- 

 ing down latterly in excessive quantities, that I have 

 been at work since the arrival of the boxes (on the 

 4th inst.), in order that the dispatches might be in 

 time prepared for embarkation on the Blenheim. 

 The circumstance of my having used the shortest 

 possible time for arranging the specimens to avoid 

 the dangers which such extensive collections would 

 be exposed to from the extreme wetness of the pre- 

 sent season, will, I flatter myself with the hope, at 

 once account and apologize for the fewness of the 

 labels which have been attached to the individual 

 species ; at the same time it will evince to you how 

 gratefully sensible I am of the high honour you have 

 conferred on me, by granting me the privilege of 

 corresponding with the first and most illustrious 

 botanist of the age. Accept, dear Sir, again and 

 again, my warmest and most respectful thanks for 

 so flattering a distinction, — a distinction which I 

 have so long felt ambitious of enjoying ; and do me 

 the justice to believe, that I shall incessantly endea- 

 vour to show myself not wholly unworthy of your 

 kindness. The tribute of respect and gratitude 

 which I have now the satisfaction of presenting to 

 you, I trust may not prove unacceptable, and I am 

 not without hopes even of its containing some speci- 

 mens 7iot included in that splendid collection which 

 my most esteemed friend and predecessor Dr. Ha- 

 milton (Buchanan) presented to you from the same 

 quarter. 



