^x. 72.] TO R. W. CHURCH. 747 



central part of the State, a lawyer, who makes consid- 

 erable sacrifice in taking the governorship, is chosen 

 in his place, and there is a majority of two thirds in 

 both branches of the legislature to support him. We 

 hope that this makes an end of Butler's power for 

 harm, or at least cripples it. He is a desperate 

 demagogue. . . . 



I doubt if either of the friends you mentioned 

 came to Cambridge at all. My friend Agassiz had 

 the pleasure of meeting them at Newport, and was 

 greatly taken with them. . . . 



I am beginning to print the Compositse for my 

 " Flora of North America ; " and am revising for the 

 last time some of the more difficult and more unsatis- 

 factory portions. My wife now excuses me to her 

 friends for outbreaks of ill-humor, the excuse being 

 that I am at present " in the valley of the shadow of 

 the Asters." This is " sic itur ad astra," with a ven- 

 geance. If only I can have done with the printer by 

 the close of the winter months, with any life left in 

 me, then we will go in for a holiday. 



I am very well, and Mrs. Gray passably so. We 

 have seen just a little of Matthew Arnold, with wife 

 and daughter ; shall probably see more of them. 



TO R. W. CHURCH. 



November 12, 1883. 



... I have just seen the first proof of the portion 

 of " Flora of North America " that I have been moil- 

 ing over for so long ; and over them and the ever-re- 

 newed touches to the ever-growing Composite, I may 

 expect a toilsome winter. That done, I hope about the 

 time that the clear and biting, but rather enjoyable, 

 winter subsides into the inclemencies of our early 



