
          been omitted, which you will find out by comparing the figures with the description,
so that little alteration in that respect on your part will be wanting.  
You will also find that I have given in many instances Mr. J. Smith's generic 
character verbatim, as I consider his system a good one, and having adopted
it generally, I thought these descriptions would make the work better understood, 
and to have remodeled them from such material as I have to consult, so as to make 
them my own, would only have been a sort of a plagiarism; in some instances
I have given Presl's generic char[added: a]cters in Latin, and when no authority is 
appended, it is my own. My specific names I [crossed out: doubt ?] [added: fear] will not suit
you; but in this as in all other matters appertaining to the work, I would thank 
you to suggest or adopt whatever you may consider most eligible.
The portion sent amounts to about three fifths of the whole work; and so 
soon as the proofs of the other drawings reach me, I will send them on, among 
them is a new genus of mine, which I have marked with pencil in Mss. [manuscript], as
Graminiopteris, or something meaning grass looking fern; and for this, please to 
construct a generic name.

Over and above the great obligation of voluntarily giving me a device respecting
my work, I do not see how you are to be rewarded for the time 
and labour which it will take you to bring my labours into such a 
shape as to make the work worthy to be brought before the public; I
speak this freely Professor, knowing that you have duties which must 
be attended to, with other engagements on hand to occupy your spare moments; 
but so far as I am personally concerned in this matter, my obligation
to you [crossed out: will] shall ever be in remembrance.

Please give me some hints as to what you think of that sent, and how
I may improve on what is still to pass through my hands.

No conversation has passed between Captn [Captain] Wilkes and myself with regard
to the Botany of the Expedition, I have seen him little this winter; the fact 
is, I do not want to talk to him about it, as I know we would differ on
        