a i a i ii 
&T. 53.) TO R. W. CHURCH. 523 
the rebellion was obstinate enough, into a determina- 
tion to do away with slavery. Homely, honest, un- 
gainly Lincoln is the representative man of the coun- 
A Boston gentleman, at cost of $11,000 or more, 
is to build a fireproof house for my herbarium, which 
I give to the university, with my botanical library. 
A fund of $12,000 is raising to support it, which 
will relieve me of the expenditure of about $500a 
year. But I shall have double care and bother all 
the coming spring and summer. 
Dr. Seudder has gone to Cuba, to attend an in- 
valid, and wishes to examine orchid fertilization, and 
asks me what in particular he should look at. 
Pray get well, dear Darwin, and believe me to be 
ever, Yours cordially, Asa Gray. 
TO R. W. CHURCH. 
CampBripcE, April 4, 1864. 
My pear Mr. Cuurcu,— If you have long ago 
written your American correspondent off your books, 
as being a right shabby fellow, he could not com- 
plain. 
Here is your agreeable letter of January 19th, a 
most prompt and more than kind response to mine of 
Christmas, still unacknowledged by me! 
The fact simply is that I have been delaying week 
by week in the hope of being able to announce to 
you that the subscription for the support of our botan- 
ical establishment was filled up. I am sorry to say 
that this cannot yet be said. The matter has been 
privately conducted, that is, nothing said about it im 
the public prints; but the two gentlemen who took 
the matter in hand have quietly circulated the paper 
