48 EARLY UNDERTAKINGS. [1835, 



for pursuing my favorite studies, and for acquiring a 

 reputation that must sooner or later secure me a good 

 place. I have work enough thrown into my hands to 

 support me, with my prudent habits, through the win- 

 ter. I spend my time entirely at the medical college 

 and at my home here at Dr. Torrey's, and hold little 

 intercourse with any except medical and scientific men. 

 I am writing two scientific articles on a difficult branch 

 of botany for a scientific journal or magazine, which 

 will give me a little notoriety. Dr. Torrey and my- 

 self went last month to Philadelphia, where we stayed 

 a week. We spent our time almost entirely in the 

 rooms of the American Philosophical Society, and of 

 the Academy of Science. We met most of the scien- 

 tific and other learned men, and spent our time very 

 pleasantly. You shall hear from me again before long. 

 It is not probable that I shall be up before next sum- 

 mer. 



TO HIS MOTHER. 



Saturday Morning, February 7, 1835. 



I do not know when I shall see you. I shall be 

 up sometime during the spring or summer if I live 

 so long, but perhaps not until July or August. It is 

 very probable that I shall stay in the city the whole 

 time. I wish very much to spend a few weeks in 

 Georgia, early in the spring, but I see that I shall not 

 be able to do so. My time is spent here very profit- 

 ably, and I am advancing in knowledge as fast as I 

 ought to wish, but I make no money, or scarcely 

 enough to live upon. Just at present I am rather 

 behindhand, but think that by next fall I shall, with 

 ordinary success, be in better circumstances. It is 

 unpleasant to be embarrassed in such matters, for I 

 should like much to be independent, and this with my 



