128 
and carefully unpacked and arranged the whole 
collection. 
With no premeditated design of relinquishing 
physic as a profession, yet from this hour he de- 
voted his time and all the powers of his mind to 
the object for which he had hazarded so much; nor 
was there ever a period, in his subsequent life, of 
misgiving or regret that he had made a wrong 
choice: neither was his love of botany pursued to 
the exclusion of other literature or lighter plea- 
sures; but it was the charm of his existence, al- 
ways at hand ready to take up, always leading the 
mind forward, and filling his hours with satisfac- 
tion. 
How well he estimated his own powers, and 
came up to the expectations formed of him, may be 
learnt from the opinions of his fellow-labourers in 
the fields of science. 
Mr. Pitchford to Mr. James Edward Smith. 
Dear Sir, Norwich, Nov. 26, 1784. 
Since I wrote my last short letter, I have had 
some conversation with Mr. Smith your father 
about your collection. As he seemed desirous 
that your friends should communicate to you every 
thing they thought about the matter, I esteem it 
an honour he does me, in supposing mine worth 
your perusal ; and as I should be very happy in ren- 
dering you any real service, so you must accept the 
following as written with that intention, to be re- 
jected or embraced as your own good sense and 
