1887] Botany under Difficulties. 337 



CHAPTER XLVI. 



BOTANY UNDER DIFFICULTIES. 

 [1887-1889.] 



A NEW phase of his life is entered on, as he resigns himself 

 to the occupancy of an invalid's chair, and contemplates 

 with some dismay the restricted area of his field and 

 opportunities for work. He now becomes more than ever 

 the prompter of the undertakings of others. But the 

 activity of his mind first asserts itself in the renewal of 

 several correspondences which his long illness had inter- 

 rupted ; and among the earliest to be renewed was that 

 with Mr. Bennett. 



92, LEINSTER-ROAD, DUBLIN, 



2jth July, 1887. 



DEAR SIR, I have been laid up so long nearly eighteen months, 

 and nearly all the time in bed that I have not been able to attend 

 much to botanical matters for the past two years. Now I am obliged 

 to resign my post as Curator of the Natural History Museum, which will 

 be a great loss and disappointment after having enjoyed the long sick 

 leave of eighteen months. This, however, will give me more time for 

 botany, and I hope to return to my old favourite study, with more 

 leisure, and with every hope of bringing out a second edition of 

 " Cybele Hibernica," towards which I have a grant from the Royal 

 Irish Academy. 



One object in writing to you to-day is to ask whether you can give 

 me, or beg for me, two or three good and characteristic specimens of 

 (Enanthe fluviatilis. It is a plant I do not understand, and I should like 

 to compare English with Irish specimens. You have been so very kind 

 to me already that I feel sure you will be willing to help me in my 

 present crippled condition. Please tell me, do you believe in 

 CE. fluviatilis ? How is it the plant is not known on the Continent ? 



Have you kept notes of all the localities of Irish Potamogetons, and 

 would you be willing to let me have them for my book, with full acknow- 

 ledgment, of course, to you ? I am most troubled with the forms of 

 what I call polygonifolius, but I am afraid you would refer some of these 

 to P. natans. I mean such as Syme's "linearis" from Killarney ; the 



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