LETTERS OF FRIEDRICH WOHLER 119 



America of which we in old, used-up Europe have 

 no conception. The contents of your letter, as well as 

 its minuteness of detail, proved that you do not think 

 ill of me because I did not write you for such an unpar- 

 donably long time. Indeed, it shames me to confess 

 that my last letter was dated 31 October 1858 if I 

 am not mistaken. The news you sent concerning the 

 former Gottingen Americans gave me much pleasure, 

 and also that you have acted as protector to little 

 Engelhardt, thus probably laying the foundation for 

 his advancement. Only one have you forgotten to 

 mention Professor Joy of New York, who with his 

 beautiful wife visited us last summer, though we have 

 not had a word from him since. I should be obliged if 

 you would write him a few lines in my name, asking 

 whether he has received the diploma of the Leopold 

 Academy 1 and the silver mirror from Liebig, both hav- 

 ing been forwarded at the time to Rinteln according to 

 his directions. I hope he will overcome his dilatoriness 

 and write me himself . 



As you have probably seen the Annalen, and there- 

 fore know already, I shall write nothing about chemi- 

 cal news from our laboratory, except that there is 

 much work being done and that it is well attended. I 

 am aware that you have not yet received this year's 

 March issue. At present I am having Niemann make 

 an investigation of the famous Coca (Erythroxylon 

 coca of Peru) and, as far as we have ascertained, it 

 very probably contains an organic base which may be 



1 Academia Caesarea Leopoldino-Carolina Naturae Curiosonim (Kaiser- 

 lich-leopoldinisch-caroliniache deutsche Akademie der Naturforscher, 

 Kalle). 



