^T. 33.] TO JOHN TORREY. 319 



much the best. The first, on the anatomy and physi- 

 ology of leaves, and exhalation and its consequences, 

 occupied an hour and twenty minutes. My last, on 

 food of plants, vegetable digestion, and the relations 

 of plants to mineral and animal kingdoms, — in which 

 I did my very best, and which required and secured 

 the most intense attention on the part of the audi- 

 ence for a hundred minutes, — was received with an 

 intelligent enthusiasm which did the audience credit. 

 For it would be mere affectation for me to pretend 

 not to know — as I well do — that it is one of the best 

 scientific lectures that have ever been delivered in 

 Boston. I have none left to compare with it. I have 

 only four more to give, during which I dare say the 

 interest will fall off; which wiU not disappoint or 

 mortify me. From your truly kind remarks and warn- 

 ings I suppose you look upon my success in this un- 

 dertaking as extremely hazardous to my best interests. 

 Now this duty came to me unsolicited and unexpected. 

 I accepted it because I thought it was my duty to do 

 so. Then I was of course bound to make every con- 

 sistent effort to insure success. While viewing it at 

 a distance, I felt much anxiety. But before I com- 

 menced, this entirely disappeared, and I have gone on 

 just as coolly as you might do with your chemical 

 course. I am thankful that (owing chiefly to the 

 nature and novelty of the subject) I have done my 

 work creditably. The little eclat which attends it, 

 I am not so foolish as to care anything for, pro or 

 con. It is entirely ephemeral. It may gratify my 

 friends ; but it does me no good, and I trust no harm. 

 The general result may benefit the science of this part 

 of the country. It will probably tend to advance 

 my interests, as I certainly wish it may, the object 



