^T. 37.] TO W. J. HOOKER. 357 



What with these duties, superintending gardener, 

 and painting and papering in the house, and Sprague 

 drawing for the second volume of "Genera," and I 

 printing the first, with the printer ever on my heels 

 for copy, and at the same time printing Memoirs and 

 Proceedings of the Academy, and managing large 

 correspondence, you may conceive that my hands are 

 full. Yours most cordially, 



A. GRAY. 



TO W. J. HOOKER. 



CAMBRIDGE, 2d May, 1848. 



I send ... a copy (roughly put into paper covers) 

 of the first volume of " Genera Illustrata," regretting 

 there is not time to send you a bound copy. I hope 

 you will like it. Sprague is improving fast, reads 

 Brown's papers, etc., and is getting a good insight 

 into structural botany, even the nicest points. We 

 mean to carry on the work, and I hope for considera- 

 ble London sale of it. The price is $6, or in London, 

 <! 10s., which I trust will be thought low. Please 

 notice it in the " Journal." The proceeds go princi- 

 pally to support Sprague in carrying on the work. I 

 put his name on the title-page without his knowledge 

 and at the expense of his great modesty. 



I want to introduce the tussock grass on our east- 

 ern coast, where it will thrive well. Is it too late to 

 send this spring ? Or will you send in autumn ? 



P. S. The last steamer brought good news of 

 peace and strength in England, dissipating the alarm 

 of many, but I felt none myself, having a strong confi- 

 dence in the soundness of Old England and the dura- 

 bility of her institutions, of which I am here esteemed 

 an over admirer. 



