238 THE CORRESPONDENCE OF SCHWEINITZ AND TORREY 
SCHWEINITZ TO TORREY 
BeETHL. Dec 5th 1827 
My dearest Sir a ee 
Let me entreat you—unless for reasons which I cannot divine, 
you should have resolved to break off a correspondence to me 
so valuable to afford me the consolation of a few lines. I have 
already understood that the severe disappointment I met with, by 
your not coming hither during the vacation—was probably owing 
to your translation back to New York & Mr. Halsey informs me, 
that there you do intend to devote yourself further to Botany— 
both pieces of intelligence in the highest degree pleasing to me. I 
must inform you too, that very soon after the time in which I had 
prepared my house & Collections for your accomodation—I was 
seized during the Botanical expedition I at length undertook with- 
out you—with a severe indisposition, which for 5 weeks incapaci- 
tated me altogether from doing anything of consequence, from 
which I however recovered in time to collect considerably of our 
fall treasures. A very extensive plan concerning Asters & Soli- 
dagos which I intended chiefly for you—was however nearly 
prostrated again by an interruption which I could not help— 
during which the mould got into my specimens & almost ruined 
them—but I was further prevented from completing it—by a 
journey I had to make from Oct 2 to Nov. 3 to Lake Erie—un- 
fortunately too late to admit of much botanical exertion (besides 
continual rain) but interesting nevertheless on acc’t of the Geog- 
raphy of some plants which I had occasion to observe at least in 
their ruins. In the letter to Mr. Halsey in which I enclose the 
present—I state to him what I am now able to furnish. I am 
sensible that my recent collections contain nothing you could 
want—except perhaps 3 or four to me doubtful things which I shall 
lay by at all events. Should you, however, observe anything 
desirable—be sure it is at your comand. But I have always cal- 
culated upon going thro’ my whole collection with you—& when- 
ever that is the case nothing in it anyway divisible so as to be 
satisfactory to you, shall be spared. Permit me to remind you of 
your kind promise concerning the White Mount[ain] plants—or 
anything else any way calculated to augment my collection. | 
have been sorely disappointed in not receiving the European col- 
