
          Ansd. Feby. 5th 1833           West Chester, Pennsylvania Decem. 15. 1832


 Dear Sir,


         Your favor of the 18th October was duly
 received, - and I should have been extremely glad to
 have gone over our Herbarium, and selected all
 the doubtful plants to forward to you, agreeably
 to your suggestions: but I was unfortunately so much
 occupied with other duties, which I could neither evade
 nor postpone, that I found it our of the question.
 The care of superintending the construction of a Rail
 Road, nine miles in length, connecting this village
 with the Pennsylvania Rail Road, has been thrown almost
 entirely upon me; & I find the demands upon my
 time & attention so urgent, that I fear I shall
 not be able to avail myself fully of the advantages
 which your kind invitation holds out.  I suppose 
 your engagements during the winter, will as [eventually?]
 preclude your attention from the investigation
 of doubtful specimens, as mine have during the
 past autumn - otherwise, I would even yet make
 an effort to put up at least a partial col-
 lection of our undetermined plants.  I am now
 in daily expectation of receiving a package of plants
 from Dr. Short, - as he writes me they are on the
 way: and if there should be among them enough
 new or undetermined specimens, to make atolera-
 ble parcel, aongwith those heretofore received.
 I think I will still send them on to you.  It 
 is certainly very desirable that you should have
 the means of clearing up as many doubts as
 possible, during your contemplated visit to Europe.
        