«T. 31.] TO W.J.HOOKER. 283 



received a letter stating that they had nothing yet for 

 me to do, and permitting me to spend the winter in 

 New York. In the spring of 1840, a committee of the 

 regents wrote to me, to relinquish the provisional 

 salary (of fifteen hundred doUars, on which I had 

 been placed) for one year from that date, they relin- 

 quishing my services for that period and allowing me 

 to devote my time to the " Flora," etc. I at once ac- 

 cepted their proposal ; but although another year has 

 now elapsed since the expiration of the period to 

 •which they proposed to limit this agreement, not a 

 word have I heard offidially or unofficially from Michi- 

 gan. I have quietly awaited the result, ready at any 

 moment to obey their call ; but having no income for 

 the last two years, I have been greatly embarrassed, 

 and have struggled through great difficulties, I 

 scarcely know how. Notwithstanding, I have thought 

 until recently that I ought not to seek any other situa- 

 tion. I shall now write to Michigan immediately, 

 inquiring whether, in their present condition, they are 

 ready to fulfill their engagements with me, or whether 

 they woidd prefer to accept my resignation, which I 

 shall offer. I expect, and on the whole hope, they 

 will accept it. 



In December, or nearly the 1st of January last, a 

 friend of mine here, who had some casual conversa- 

 tion with the President of Harvard University, wished 

 me to let my name be known as a candidate for the 

 vacant chair of natural history there. After reflecting 

 for a week or two, I wrote to B. D. Greene ^ for some 



1 Benjamin D. Greene, 1798-1862. First studied law ; then medi- 

 cine in Scotland and Paris. Devoted himself to hotany. " His very 

 valuable herbarium and botanical library were bequeathed to the 

 Boston Natural History Society. He was always a most liberal and 

 wise patron of science " [A. 6.]. 



