
          Albany. Dec. 27th 1818

Dear friend.

For some account of my journey, I
refer you to Dr. Townsend. I may add fragments
occasionally. As for new things, we countrymennever succeed in the acquisition of that kind of glory.
Though I am sometimes inclined to consider that
floating polygonum new. I [added: intend to] send you more fair
specimens of it and quarrel with you some about
it. We will call it P. natans when we refer to it, until the business is settled.

If you should finally conclude not to go to
the Pacific, why cannot Edwin James go? You
hint, that he may be offended with you &c.[etc.]
Now I tell you, that you know nothing of
Edwin. To begin, he is the best fellow that nature
ever formed. Liberal beyond description,
noble in all his feelings beyond all parallel,
precisely his length and breadth of everything
great and good. He has been twice to Vermont,
and once over the beautiful Catskill Mts[Mountains] this season. He
is now at Vt. but we expect him here in a
few weeks. Gov. Clinton would [interest?] himself
in behalf of Edwin, if you should think he
would be successful.

You may write to Miss White. I know
that a correspondence with you would be very
acceptable to her. She has learned to be a good
fellow, by being so long acquainted with Hitchcock.
She has been his assistant at Deerfield and
[?] three years. H. has now resigned his place
        