442 CORRESPONDENCE. [1858, 
June 21. 
About the museum. Ours is to be not economical 
(except in the sense that it must not cost anything to 
speak of) but for class illustration and botanical re- 
search. So I want woods, fruits, seeds, ete., and must 
keep all within narrow limits. All I could venture to 
ask from you is that whenever your keeper or Dr. 
Hooker should be throwing out duplicates to save 
room, you would have some such things boxed up for 
me. I should indeed like to go over to you, and select 
for myself, as you and Dr. Hooker suggest. Joseph 
suggests that I should be sent over by the university 
for the purpose! His whole idea is as magnificent as 
my plan is humble. I fear I must always travel and 
cross the ocean at my own charges. But the propo- 
sition suggests to me that, when I am ready to revisit 
England, this will be a good ground for asking leave 
of absence without cutting off my pay. But there is 
much to be done before I can leave home again, and 
when I shall be ready and able to do so, if it please 
Providence that I may be, I want two full years and 
most of it at Kew. How I hope it may be done in 
your day, and that I may receive your cordial greeting, 
and find you as hale and as actively useful as ever. 
But “Vhomme propose,” etc. We are delighted to 
hear from Mrs. E. that you are well and strong 
again. 
Boott kindly writes me of Brown by every mail; by 
the next arrival we must expect to hear that he is no 
more. . . 
Wherever Wright goes, you may rely upon the full- 
est set of his catherines, and we may expect they 
will be better than formerly. For (what I never 
thought he would have patience for) he has really 
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