
          Recd [illegible] 7th                 West Chester, Pennsylvania Jan 3. 1835


 My dear Sir,
                          I was extremely gratified these days
 ago, to receive your favor of the 25th [Oct?].  It was so
 long since I had had the pleasure of hearing directly
 from you, that I began to fear you had determined
 to put an end to a correspondence from which I
 had derived so much satisfaction.  Early in December,
 1833, - as soon as I knew of your return from Europe, -
 I addressed a letter to you, in which I solicited
 an account of  the Botanical incidents of your
 voyage; and especially a description of the personal
 character, habits, age and other interesting anecdotes,
 of those distinguished Botanists, Hooker, & De Candolle.
 I had a great desire to possess, from an authentic
 source, a more intimate knowledge of those two
 eminent men - for whose abilities, & scientific
 attainments, I have imbibed the most profound
 respect.  Being more than a year without an answer
 to my letter, I despaired of receiving the desired
 information: but your interesting sketch, of
 the 25th Oct. has met my wishes to a great extent.
 Your account of Prof. Hooker, & his family, was extreme-
 ly gratifying, - as it so completely corresponded with
 the idea I had formed of his worth, talents, & industry.
 I have found him a very amiable, liberal, and
 valuable correspondent.  Your letter does not
 speak of having been beyond Paris, on the continent:
 and therefore I am at a loss to know whether
 you met with the other great object of my admiration,

        