O THE HISTORY OF AITON S ' HORTUS KEWENSIS 



passed between W. T. Alton and Dryander with regard to the 

 second edition, which are preserved in the Department of Botany, 

 at the end of the volume of Dryander's correspondence. Dryan- 

 der's reply is the draft in his own hand — not dated — retained by 

 him of the letter actually sent : — 



" My dear Sir, 



" In a conversation I had lately w^ith Sir Joseph Banks, he 

 was pleased to introduce the Subject so near to me as the Kew Catalogue 

 & in the most kind Terms possible, gave me his decided approbation of 

 publishing a second Edition — at the same time Sir Joseph was so con- 

 descending to me as to hint, in the most agreeable Manner, a strong Hope 

 it would have your invaluable concurrence, these kind Intimations have 

 open'd to me the opportunity of submitting the subject of conversation to 

 your consideration, & approval. The Inference I have drawn from many 

 proofs of your good disposition towards me has given me a silent con- 

 fidence I may not be finally disappointed of a friendship so truly desirable 

 — if the only point between us could rest upon the Terms of publishing 

 Hortus Keivensis, at once I shall agree to any you may think proper — 

 but judging your finer feelings by my own, I shall take upon myself to 

 offer one Proposal, namely, that the Profit of the Edition may be divided 

 equally between us, share and share alike, & to forward the Bookseller 

 coming to Acct. I should think it no inconvenience to pay all Bills for 

 paper & printing before the Work is Publish'd — beleive me D^. Sir with 

 very sincere regard 



" Your Most Obedt. Servt. 



*' Koyal Gardens Kew W. T. Aiton." 



25 April 1803." 



" B^. Sir, 



" I would have answered your letter sooner, if an accident had 

 not happened, which has given me more vexation than it was worth, and 

 made me unfit for writing. I shall be very ready to give you all the 

 assistance in my power in publishing a new edition of Hrt. K. without 

 any particular view to pecuniary considerations, which have alw^ays had 

 perhaps too little influence in my way of thinking. But before we pro- 

 ceed to put it in execution it will be necessary to have a conference with 

 Sir Joseph Banks, to determine upon what alterations the edition of 

 Willdenow's Species Plantaium and other new books may make expedient 

 particularly in regard to synonyms and differentiae specificse, and also on 

 what is most proper to be done in regard to the adoption of new genera 

 cut out of the old ones, and to the placing of some of the old genera, which 

 have of late been thrust from one class into another, so as to steer clear 

 between too close adherence to old errors, and too great readiness to 

 adopt all new whims. I should think it best to wait till Sir Joseph comes 

 to Spirogyrige, when he is more likely to have some leasure for attending 

 to this business, and I will in the mean time put down in writing some 

 memorandums of the points which I wish to have settled, before I 

 seriously go to work. At the same time I must observe, that, as I have 

 for the last six or seven years very little attended to Botany, I am not 

 au courant, as the french call it, of all what has been published in that 

 time, and therefore not so able, as I might formerly have been, to say 

 what is new and not new ; besides age has already had that effect on my 

 memory, that what I now read does not so easily turn to profit, when it 

 is wanted, as the information I got in my younger days." 



