
          Williams College Feb. 9th 1820.

Dear Sir.

Your letter came while I was absent - but
it was welcome on my return. I have visited Boston
while the removal of our College was before the Legis
lature. I left soon after the report of the Committe.
This report was against the removal, & will doubtless
be accepted in both Houses. What our Board will
do, I can not tell - but suspect, they will try
again. For various reasons, the removal seems
very desirable. But I will not trouble you with
the matter. I visited Dr. Webster- heard him lecture
a little  admired his collection of about 15000 specimens
& got a few minerals, new to me. I carried
him some minerals  a prism of Tremolite, not one-tenth 
the size I sent the Lyceum, & he said he
did not see the like in Europe. He is lecturing
to about 10 students. I am amazed at the low state
of mineralogical curiosity in Boston. Dr. Webster has
offered his Cabinet for $10000 to Harvard University but
there seems little prospect that they will take it. They are
rich, but do not feel high curiosity.

I had become
satisfied from my examination, that [the?] said  is Serpentine 
in part. I carried a [?] to Webster - he said at
once it was Serpentine, & very like that of [Zobliter?] in Germany 
just about as hard & fine & [beautiful?], & containing
like that [?] of iron, but in larger quantity. You will
see also, that it will not answer to the discription of [Prosc?].
It is less hard - &, I have some from Middlefield just like it &
the [?] of the other Serpentine. There is no doubt about it.

I hope you profession will allow you time
enough for Nat. Hist. In Botany & Mineralogy. you have
made so great advances, that your situation will be far
different from that of him who must begin, while in
his profession, de novo.

How much discription
do you want of the Solices? It will be too late to call
your mineral Gibbsite by & by, for you must give
it a name now. I hope he may send me some min
erals, if he has them to spare. I shall be glad to 
        