
          [Note in pencil: [1849?]]


 Friday Afternoon-- 28 Septr.


 My dear friend-- 


 Your letter of "Wed'y Even'g" [Wednesday Evening]
 only reached me this afternoon, at 2 o'clock, so I
 suppose it was dated in error for Thurs'y aft'n [Thursday afternoon]. I have
 since been down town & have seen your dear boy
 A.G. [Asa Gray] to whom I communicated your intention of
 visiting NY. on Friday next. Though I hope to see you
 so very soon, I nevertheless conclude to write, that
 you may carry out your proposition as to the Expl'g
 Exp'n [Exploring Expedition] Compos'ae [Compositae]. Bring them on, by all means. It will
 afford me the greatest pleasure to assist you in
 preparing them for your report. It is certain that I
 did no work, whilst at Princeton, & as dear Jeannie
 truly remarked to you, the sound of her chords in
 the drawing-room easily allured me from "the seed
 you put under my nose" in the study. Whether I shall
 ever get to work again, even in Jane Street (I will
 not say, at home, when alluding to my solitary abode)
 is more than I can say. If I do, your Compositae
 shall be my first Job. Seriously, my valued friend,
 I am more the better for my long domiciliation
 with your amiable family. For the last 4 or 5
 years of my life, I have been doing unceasing 
 violence to every feeling of my heart & nature, that
 I might be able to live alone (for which I was never
 intended) & to depend exclusively upon my own resources.
 I had succeeded to some extent, [added with caret: and was reconciled] par
 habitude, to a life with which I was scarecely content,
 though unrepining, latterly. I now, painfully feel
        