
          family. There, I intend passing my time usefully and [ransack?] the whole
 dismale swamp, which , to this day has been much neglected
 by our botanists and I hope to have the chance of discovering
 a Durandia, should it be, like the golden apple of Hesperides
 , garded [guarded] by dragons or by [moncanies?] and rattlesnakes.


 I have added another subscriber to my list (21
 in all) eight or ten have not paid me as yet; but I will
 collect the whole, when I receive the second no. Many refuse
 to take it before the first volume is finished. For God
 sake, do not be deterred from accomplishing your
 task; Your work will sell well, as it deserves! and you
 will ultimately reap the fruit of your labors.


 (Raf [Rafinesque] has paid me a visit to claim the 2 first
 no which he said you were to send him through me.
 He declined taking the first alone perhaps because
 I mentioned cash down on delivery. He adverted to exchanges
 of books he intended to make with you, but to no purpose.
 Raf. [Rafinesque] says he is ready to publish a supplement to your flora !!!
 god knows whether the supplement will not be twice the size
 of your work.)


 If you have leisure, please to put [?] the plants
 that you can dispose of and send them to me by the union
 line, with those I sent you for examination, and their names,
 if you please. I beg you to tell me how I shall repay
 Dr Hale for his splendid invoice. I have received no
 letter from him; nor have [added: I] any acquaintance with him?
 If you write to him, be so good as to express my sincere
 acknowledgements for his polite attention.


 Yours very respectfully


 E. [Elias] Durand
        