340 TO THE KHASIA MOUNTAINS 
My £400 here is, with prudence, equal to £800 in 
England, it has been more than that to me, but this year 
my expenses will be very great, nearly tripled. Had I 
my life to live over again, it should be in India — that, 
however, is not the question. I am homeward bound this 
cold weather to slap my empty pockets up and down 
Piccadilly, and sponge upon my friends at the Oriental 
for a dinner, since you infiospites, Athenaeum, will not lay 
a plate for a stranger. 
So here, my dear Wallich, is a good growl for you, after 
which I feel better, but not the less of a mule. 
Thomson is the most good-tempered and -humoured 
fellow you can imagine, and no one can be more full of zeal 
and love of Botany, nor more willing to work ; but the 
Flora Indica may go to Shaitan before we tax ourselves with 
such a responsibility under such wretched prospects. 
To his Father. 
It is easy to talk of a Flora Indica, and Thomson and 
I do talk of it, to imbecility ! But suppose that we even 
adopted the size, quality of paper, brevity of description, 
&c., which characterise De Candolle's Prodromus, and we 
should, even under these conditions, fill twelve such volumes, 
at least ; though excluding any word of English or not 
upon distribution, particular habitats, remarks on structure 
or aught else. About eighteen years of fair work would 
be needed, for I should not approve of any portion being 
so slightly executed as Decaisne's Aschipiadeae, Choisy's 
Convolvulaceae, and Alphonse De Candolle's various orders ; 
and I further think that the plan of distribution is carried 
to excess. Our friend, Mr. Bentham, is truly the only 
first-rate Monographer of the present day. If therefore 
Thomson and I are to write a Flora Indica, we ought, 
I think, to be considered competent to do it all, or 
nearly all, except the Cryptogamia. That the East India 
Company will not come forward with money to aid the 
publication, you may rest perfectly assured. It may give 
Thomson military allowance, and he will be well content 
with that. It may also take copies, and by so doing, fii'st 
raise up a Publisher, and then ruin him by distributing 
gi'atis copies to those who would, otherwise, be purchasers. 
