340 TO THE KHASIA MOUNTAINS 



My £400 here is, with prudence, equal to £800 in 

 England, it has been more than that to me, but this year 

 my expenses will be very great, nearly tripled. Had I 

 my life to live over again, it should be in India — ^that, 

 however, is not the question. I am homeward bound this 

 cold weather to slap my empty pockets up and down 

 Piccadilly, and sponge upon my friends at the Oriental 

 for a dinner, since you inhospites, Athenaeum, will not lay 

 a plate for a stranger. 



So here, my dear WaUich, is a good growl for you, after 

 which I feel better, but not the less of a mule. 



Thomson is the most good-tempered and -humoured 

 fellow you can imagine, and no one can be more full of zeal 

 and love of Botany, nor more willing to work ; but the 

 Flora Indica may go to Shaitan before we tax ourselves with 

 such a responsibihty under such wretched prospects. 



To his Father. 



It is easy to talk of a Flora Indica, and Thomson and 

 I do talk of it, to imbeciHty ! But suppose that we even 

 adopted the size, quality of paper, brevity of description, 

 &c., which characterise De Candolle's Prodromus, and we 

 should, even under these conditions, fill twelve such volumes, 

 at least ; though excluding any word of English or not 

 upon distribution, particular habitats, remarks on structure 

 or aught else. About eighteen years of fair work would 

 be needed, for I should not approve of any portion being 

 so slightly executed as Decaisne's AscUpiadeae, Choisy's 

 Convolvulaceae, and Alphonse De Candolle's various orders ; 

 and I further think that the plan of distribution is carried 

 to excess. Our friend, Mr. Bentham, is truly the only 

 first-rate Monographer of the present day. If therefore 

 Thomson and I are to write a Flora Indica, we ought, 

 I think, to be considered competent to do it all, or 

 nearly all, except the Cryjptogamia. That the East India 

 Company will not come forward with money to aid the 

 publication, you may rest perfectly assured. It may give 

 Thomson mHitary allowance, and he will be well content 

 with that. It may also take copies, and by so doing, first 

 raise up a Publisher, and then ruin him by distributing 

 gratis copies to those who would, otherwise, be purchasers. 



