* 
368 A DECADE OF WORK AT HOME. _ [1850, 
England, and in the mean time we heard not only of 
Dr. Hooker’s capture, but also, with much gratifica- 
tion, of his release. What an indefatigable man he is! 
Finding myself greatly behindhand, on account of 
various hindrances and miscalculation of time, and 
utterly unable to accomplish half the work I had in- 
tended to do this spring, I have decided to break off ; 
and to sail, in a packet-ship from Boston, on the 
oth of June, with Mrs. Gray, for Liverpool, which we 
may hope to reach by the close of that month. This 
will give us an opportunity of seeing England in its 
summer dress, and to make, almost immediately fol- 
lowing the sea voyage, a trip up the Rhine to Switzer- 
land. On our return I must set to work diligently, 
and for a little while with Mr. Bentham, who has 
kindly offered to look over the tropical collections, 
which I know little of, and love as little. 
The rewriting of all the structural parts of my 3d 
edition of the “ Botanical Text-Book,” which I was 
inadvertently drawn into, has proved a most time- 
consuming business. It is not yet through the press. 
Wright’s collection of seeds I had divided into two 
parts, and I send you one by the hands of Mr. Lowell, 
who with his whole family goes out by this steamer. 
You will receive them in good time to raise them. . . . 
Mr. Lowell is of great use to us, in helping on 
these explorations, and I look to his visit to Europe, 
the sight of the great collections, and the society of 
naturalists to strengthen his tastes and fire his zeal 
in these respects. 
I long to have him and Mrs. Lowell, a very good 
friend of ours, make your acquaintance. 
