
          Middletown Jany [January] 13, 1831.

My Esteemed Friend

The Catalogue of the Professors and Students
of your Med Col [Medical College] came to hand yesterday. I was glad
to hear from you in this way. The Prosperity of your
College cannot fail to interest one who takes a deep
interest in your welfare.

On my return to this place
I mentioned to Dr. Miner that a pamphlet, a preview of Prof. Sillimans 
Elements of Chem [Chemistry] had been printed in the City of NY. He immediately
wrote to Dr. Tully of N Haven [New Haven] as we had not a copy in town.
Yesterday it came to hand. (a cold day, but it kept us warm
by its novelty and the excitement occasioned by reading it.
Silliman you must be aware is considered in this state [crossed out: the]
as Standing on the Chimborazo of Chemistry! A little notice
some days ago in the NY. Courier astonished some of the
knowing ones. A few days ago Howe the Bookseller [i.e Hezekiah Howe], N Haven [New Haven]
and the publisher of Sillimans work was here. I made some 
enquiry of him respecting the Pamphlet. I was almost sorry
I did as it threw him into a perspiration. The author he
judges to be Featherstonhaugh? [George William Featherstonhaugh] the same who tryed [tried] to get
up a scientific journal in opposition to Sill [Silliman] some time
since in N York [New York] City. He said he learned the [added: pamphlet] had been
widely circulated, saw a gentleman from Rochester who had it,
said it had been sent [crossed out: round] to the Physicians [crossec out: illegible] [added: & Chemists everywhere].

I have Agardh's Synopsis bound. The work has no title page
nor generic descriptions!! If yours is complete I must some
time trouble you for the proper title and date of printing &c,
in writing.

I have a curious old work I will put in your hands at a
convenient opportunity. It is a scarce work, and may
be of occasional interest in your Med Bot [medical botany] lectures.
This is the Hist Plantarum [De historia plantarum] of L Fuchsh [Leonhart Fuchs] 1542.
Its chief value is the indices in Greek Latin Italian French &c
and the med [medical] properties ascribed to the plants known to Pliny
        