
          [crossed out: Ans [Answered]] Recd Jany [Received January] 27th
 Ansd [Answered] March 16th   


 Middletown Jany [January] 23d 1836.


 My Dear Friend


 Your letter of the 20th came to hand at a late
 hour this day, so that I am uncertain of having sufficient time
 to reply by the mail of this afternoon (4 pm).


 To your enquiry respecting the mss [manuscript] lectures, I am sorry to have
 to tell you I know nothing about them, never having had them, 
 or indeed any of your mss [manuscript] lectures. I saw a notice a few
 days ago in the papers, that you were about to give 3 popular
 lectures! I hope however you will have time to find out
 to whom the chemical lectures spoken of were lent and here
 permit me to advise you hereafter always to make an
 entry of Books & mss [manuscript] lent, so that in time of need, you will
 certainly know where to apply. I constantly do it, or I should
 at times be much troubled in this way. 


 I did not forget your request about the Columbite, having
 called upon the person who possessed the specimens of it, which 
 he had kept hoarded up. He was I found not very ready
 to part with it except at a high price! In consequence of
 this, I left the purchase unfinished, intending to write you
 more particularly about the matter.


 If you, or your European friends want several pounds of the Columbite
 to experiment with, you could not have purer specimens than
 these. 
        