THE HISTORY OF AITON's ' HORTUS KEWENSIS ' 11 



will add to, or subtract from, as you may think proper, before you leave 

 town for the North. Above all, I desire, if I may use the word desire, 

 that you will be pleased when you make up & pass the pine tribe that 

 the favoured plant of Chili may become a testimony of submission in 

 honour of our most exalted friend of Flora, Sir Joseph Banks, in the 

 shape & form referred to, when I had the pleasure to receive your visit 

 at Kensington, beyond which, let me beg to request & protest against 

 any further introduction of new matter within the work of Hort. Kew. 

 excepting my own additions in acknowledgement of gratitude & devotion 

 to the venerable Baronet himself, to my ever to be lamented friend 

 Mr. Dryander, & to Yourself for the Mercies I have received & which 

 never will be forgotten. 



'• My Dear Sir, 

 " Koyal Gardens, Kew, Yours ever, 



8 July, 1813." W. T. Aiton." 



*' To Mr. Aiton in answer to 



his of the 8th instant. " Soho Sq., 



July 10, 1813. 

 " My Dear Sir, 



" I have received the remainder of the Copy of Hort. Kew. (the 

 Ferns excepted) and with it your letter, from which I am truly con- 

 cerned to find you continue so unwell. 



" I regret exceedingly that in such a state of health you should 

 voluntarily and as it appears to me without material advantage impose 

 upon yourself a task which must at least be troublesome in so much as it 

 necessarily requires a certain portion of time and attention. I hope 

 however as you have made up your mind on the subject you will be 

 more successful with the Printer than I have in general been. On this 

 particular matter I feel it necessary for me most distinctly to state to 

 you that the printing of H. K. no delay has originated with me since the 

 Mss. of Gynandria was prepared & sent in to the Printer, if anything to 

 the contrary has been stated to you by any one in few words it is not 

 the truth. 



" I shall as you desire it continue to examine and where necessary to 

 alter or expunge from the additional matter, but as to what has had Mr. 

 Dryander's sanction it had better be left unaltered ; have the goodness 

 therefore to inform me where he probably stop'd, and as soon as con- 

 venient send the rest of the Mss. 



" You shall have no reason to complain of the insertion of new matter 

 in tliat part of the copy still unprinted. You will find no trace of me 

 in this respect subsequent to Gynandria. The little I had done in the 

 Pine tribe, which has not been, nor should it have been, the cause of a 

 moment's delay, I have withdrawn along with some other little matters 

 in conformity with your interdiction. 



" As to connecting Sir Joseph Banks name with the Chili Pine. I am 

 really quite at a loss to know how to manage it and tho' I will remember 

 your wishes on the subject yet I have no recollection that any thing was 

 determined upon and at present can only suggest that it might perhaps 

 be done in the English name, the Mss. however is left unaltered. 



" Have the goodness to send on Monday Morning or as soon after that 

 as you please for the first portion of copy, I have what will be equal to 

 several sheets quite ready for you and it cannot be long before the whole 

 is completed ; at any rate depend upon it no delay shall originate with 

 me and you may forthwith commence printing at any rate you please or 

 rather at any rate the Printer may find convenient. On your own part 

 there can be no difliculty except perhaps on the article of punctuation, 



