
          adopted as far as possible (i.e. when they are not [palpably?]
 erroneous) - in order to arrest the increase of that great
 evil, an overloaded [illegible].  I would by no means
 object to real and undoubted improvements, in genuine
 characters, nor interpose any obstacle to the solid ad-
 vancement of the Science; but I can see no record
 of establishing permanent landmarks, except by
 adhering faithfully to those which have been correctly
 laid down by our skillful pioneers & predecessors.
 It seems to me we must submit, even to some
 of the whims of master minds, in order to avoid
 the endless confusion resulting from the projects of
 ingenious System makers.  I find great difficulty,
 sometimes, in ferreting out the species, & the
 exact portion of them, which are assigned to the re:
 spective Genera, as new modelled by each successive
 author.  This is espeially the case with the revised
 Genera of Endlicher: but I hope, when they shall be 
 once ascertained, they will be suffered to remain
 for the residue of my time, at least.  I am now
 going over our Herbarium for the fourth time.  The
 first arrangement was according to Linneaus - the second
 according to [illegible], the third according to Lindley
 & now, (which I hope will be the final one) according
 to Endlicher.  I use large labels, & put on all the synonyms
 I can collect, so as to present a kind of nomenclatural
 history of each species.  It is a tedious & laborious process
 but will be very satisfactory to those who may examine
 the collection hereafter - if any body should feel sufficient
 interest to do so. - I duly received the collection
 of Dr. Baldwin's Manuscripts, which you sent - and
 find it quite interesting.  I had supposed they were
 lost - & that little else remained of his  writing, except
 his letters to myself.  This [illegible] induced me to pre:
 pare the extracts which I submitted to Dr. Gray.
        