
          West Chester, Pennsylvania January 2 1826


 Dear Sir,


 After a great number of fruitless efforts,
 I was so fortunate on Thursday last, to procure a
 copy of your Flora, at a bookstore in Philadelphia,
 it being the first time I ever had the pleasure of
 seeing it. I obtained the three first numbers, constituting
 the first volume, at Mr. Dobson's, and I
 now regret more than ever, that I did not possess
 it while I was preparing my catalogue for the
 proofs, as it would have been of the greatest service
 to me. I find it entirely satisfactory respecting some
 plants, (and especially their synonyms,) of which I was
 in doubt before but unfortuately I have already got
 my Catalogue printed off as far as Decanduia, inclusive
 so that the lights, afforded by your excellent 
 work, come too late. While I find much
 in your Flora which serves to solve former doubts-
 to rectify a number of my mistakes and to instruct
 me, where I was ignorant, I have been exceedingly
 gratified to preceive that in several instances
 we have coincided most remarkedly in our observations.
 If I had only been so happy as to have possessed
 your work a year ago, I should have given my
 catalogue with vastly more confidence in its accuracy
 and I can only lament that I shall be deprived of the 
 benefit of the residue of your Flora in what I
 have yet to do, as I presume your other avocations
 will prevent its appearance in time for me to
 avail myself of it. I am anxious to get through
 with my little task -- which, little as it is, causes me
 a good deal of pondering and research, to arrive at any
 thing like satisfactory results. Subjected as I am, during

        