316 John Bachman. 



written in our language, or perhaps in any other. 

 Not a line can be retrenched from his already con- 

 densed articles without inflicting a wound, and we 

 take much pleasure in referring the reader to them."* 

 We would not intentionally " inflict a wound " 

 either on science or on Prof. Agassiz, since we are 

 anxious for the promotion of the truths of the 

 former, and entertain a personal regard toward the 

 latter on account of his worth as a gentleman, and 

 his indefatigable labors as a naturalist. Whatever 

 scientific errors we may have committed in this 

 review, we are prepared, if they are pointed out to 

 us by a competent naturalist, thankfully to correct, 

 and if a word has fallen from our pen that can be 

 construed as personally offensive to him, we will, 

 with regret for the error, cheerfully erase it. Our 

 sole object has been to present the truths of nature 

 in the light in which we conscientiously regard 

 them, and, as far as we are able, to avert those inju- 

 rious effects on the faith and hope of man, that may 

 be produced by errors in science. 



A letter from Humboldt, with other valuable 

 papers of this date, has, unhappily, been destroyed. 



The following letter is from the distinguished 

 United States Indian Commissioner, Henry R. 

 Schoolcraft, who conducted the expedition when the 

 long-sought-for source of the great Mississippi was 

 discovered. 



WASHINGTON, Sept. 23d, 1854. 



My dear Sir I have received and perused your 

 notice of the" Types of Mankind;" and though writ- 

 ing to me has become laborious, (for I am obliged 

 to guide my right hand with my left,) I cannot re- 



* Nott and Gliddon's Types of Mankind, p. 72. 



