13 



and attractive shape, without any apparent ambition on the 

 part of the editor, but to do justice to his subject. His in- 

 tense love of this is apparent from the care, and time, and 

 labour bestowed upon it. That it was worth all it cost to bring 

 these mouldering relics to light, every man of science, every 

 man of sense, and every man of heart will say, who reads the 

 book. 



Some have thought it required sifting, and that there was 

 some chaff which might be dispensed with in another edition. 

 This may have been the general opinion on its first appearance ; 

 and we confess ourselves to have been of this mind until after 

 perusing it carefully. But the oftener we read it, the more 

 difficult do we find the task to point out anything that should 

 be omitted the more unwilling are we to part with a single 

 page or an individual letter. It abounds in those blessed little 

 amenities which go to make life happy and a book entertaining ; 

 intermixed with ten thousand minutiae of the observations, stu- 

 dies and speculations of diligent inquirers into the secrets of 

 Natural History, at the first dawn, as it were, of the sun of 

 science. Its naivetS and simplicity, nay, its very imperfections 

 even, add to its interest, after we become a little accustomed 

 to them, inasmuch as they make it all a reality, taking us into 

 the actual presence of those who lived a hundred years agone. 



The editor cannot fail to attract to himself some portion of 



(viz. WILLIAM and JOHN), and is chiefly filled with inquiries concerning 

 plants and seeds ; but commences as follows : 



" NEW YORK, 26th December, 1783. 



" GENTLEMEN : I have just received your kind letter ; I am very happy to 

 think you still remember the connection which once subsisted between your 

 industrious parent and me. His industry, simplicity, and virtue, I have 

 taken the liberty of recording in a book, called Letters from an Ameri- 

 can Farmer, published in London two years ago, the translation of which 

 is now printing in Paris." 



This extract seems, to me, to be conclusive of the question of the 

 authorship of that graphic sketch of the Botanical Patriarch of our coun- 

 try, hitherto attributed to a Muscovite traveller. 



Very Respectfully, 



WM. DARLINGTON. 

 To WM. II. DILLINGHAM, Philadelphia. 



2 



