
          Edwin James is giving a course of Botanical lectures
at Pittsfield, Mass. He dreads writing letters to a great 
fault. He esteems you above measure, but he
rarely writes to any one.

I believe that Cleaveland solicits too many to aid him
for his own interest. Because he will receive some wretched
stuff and will be obliged to dispose of it, so as not to give
offence. I sent him one letter full of locations and he wants
more.

By your letter I presume you know Silliman personally by
this time. I can tell you the good and the bad of him in afew
words. He is an excellent botanical chemist and a good cabinet
mineralogist. With very little knowledge of geology. he affects 
much. He is impatient [crossed out: under] when his opinions are
questioned, and has very lofty conceptions attached to the tremendous
title of Professor of Yale College; and expects us to be
ever mindful of his honorable marriage into the family
of Gov.[Governor] Trumbull. Still he is a pretty good fellow; though
quite too formal for a man of Science. Ives and [added: Dewey are] precisely
at antipodes with him.

We have several good fellows growing up among
us here. George Marvin, Dr. Benett's pupil, is becoming
just as he should be. He is a native of Norwalk
of Con.[Connecticut] His father is very wealthy I hear. He was educated
at Yale College, attended lectures at Philadelphia
last winter, and is going there again next winter.
A noble spirit, a fine mind and a most persevering
naturalist. Now remember him and keep an eye
upon him.

You did send me the Potamogeton from Pine Barrens; but
you never send me Conostylus[Conostylis], which you sent to Edwin.
Next week I go to Hudson again. I will go to Becroft's Mt. and
get you some Parietaria. I now find that plant figured in
at Parkinson. How lucky I was to get at Parkinson, printed
180 years ago, with four thousand species figured, for $5.50
1700 pages folio. It is excellent for the origin of names.
I rarely see Beck of Schenectady, this season.
I am not only slow to believe, but I absolutely disbelieve, 
in the Schoharie mineral being crossed out: barytes] sulphate
of barytes, if the mineral of S.[South] Hampton mine is [Sulpho?tes]

        