zr, 31.] TO W. J. HOOKER. 285 
instruction and lecturing in botany, and to the super- 
intendence generally of the Botanic Garden (which 
they wish to renovate); limiting for the present your 
annual salary to one thousand dollars ;” thus enabling 
me, as the communication proceeds to say, to devote 
all my time at present to my favorite pursuit, and to 
go on with the labors I have in hand. I have reason 
to hope, also, that by the time they are ready to give 
me the full salary, the zodlogical part will be separated 
from the professorship, with a distinct endowment. 
The Botanic Garden has an endowment of $20,000. 
If I should take this place, I should hope to see it 
better endowed before long, and should immediately 
set about the introduction of all the hardy trees and ~ 
shrubs, — and indeed to enrich it as fast as possible 
with all the American and other plants that could be 
procured. In that case, separated from yourself by 
only fourteen to eighteen days’ navigation, I could 
hope to be a useful correspondent to you at Kew, 
and to show my gratitude for your continued kindness 
‘to me. I must here conclude, by stating that the 
president’s letter to me is to be deemed confidential, 
in case I do not accept the offer. I must therefore 
beg you to consider this letter likewise confidential, 
until you hear further from me, which you may ex- 
pect to do as soon as anything is settled in regard to 
this matter. I am the less reluctant to leave New 
York since our good friend Dr. Torrey is at Prince- 
ton, New Jersey (only four hours from New York), 
renting his house in town, where for the present 
he will only remain during the winter. We have 
worked so long together that I shall feel the separa- 
tion greatly. 
