
          Troy, June 26th 1840.


 Dear sir,


 I send you this little book [probably his North American Botany, co-authored with John Wright; the 8th edition of his Manual of Botany] as
 a curiosity for you. It has been considered
 as a curiosity by many-- as very useful by
 others-- as troublesome by some-- and as
 sufficient for a flora by a few. Just look
 at it. Several large schools have been taught
 well with it, without any other book. An
 excellent school of botanists are now
 learning with it, under a Mr. Avery, in the
 town of Mexico, on Lake Ontario.


 Please to read all of the two pages of
 Notices-- also all of page 8. See page 19.
 See at page 147 and on to 252, as a good exercize [exercise]
 for young children. See the fly-card
 at the end of the book, &c.


 Dr. [John] Wright received a letter from you, pointing
 out objections to 8th ed. Not accounting for
 removed species was a great error. It is limited,
 however, to the beginning of the species. We heard, 
 that your 3d No. was printed in April, but have not seen it.


 I think, I am on the decline of life., without
 hope of full recovery. I give my school lectures
 and attend a common round of duty. But
 since my spasmodic symptoms of asthma
 have nearly ceased, I feel more [crossed out: forcibly] [added: emphatically] the
 debility of age. I am but little over 64, and 
 might yet be strong and somewhat efficient.
 I am endeavoring to leave this institution
 and shall do it, as soo as it can be put
 in a situation to dispense with my [?].
 I have always carried it on my back, with
 with a few nominal assistants, [since?] L.C. [Lewis Caleb] Beck left
 it. I shall not leave it, until it is placed on
 a more permanent foundation. This is in
 a [train?] to be effected within a year, I hope.
        