
          I hope you will not tire in the cause
 of the Modern Sciences. I believe you [added: have about]
 twenty years yet left behind my number.
 This appears to me a very short period, when
 I consider that I have been in Troy 22
 years. Gov. Morgan Lewis was here last Wednesday.
 He says, he is 22 years older than
 I am; and he could tumble a room-full
 of such as I am, out the windows. Ambrose
 Spencer is yet strong; and many others
 of my acquaintence of great age. But I have
 out-lived most of my generation. Very few
 of the companions of my youth are new
 in life. In my native parish I can find
 but about a dozen of my years. I had
 a severe attack of bleeding at the lungs
 about two months since; and a few slight
 attacks since. I have all my life been
 exceedingly temperate in drinks-- never
 once in my life in any degree under the
 influence of strong drink. But in early
 manhood I always took too large a quantity
 of food. I learned its ill effects after passing
 50 years.


 Why cannot we have a kind of Manual
 of N. American Zoology. The plan of my
 little Zoology of 1820, would be a good
 one. Whwn I made that, I was assured
 by many, that a suitable manual
 would be prepared within 4 or 5 years. 
 I think you spoke of a Mr. Stuart.
 We have no Mineralogy nor Zoology  
 suitable for Schools. Mohs' plan will 
 never be received. It is too tedious and
 nothing is gained. The number of species,
 hardly equalling the species of one genus of plants,
 cannot require such a hideous nomenclature.


 Yours truly,
 A. Eaton
        