
          the old professors for many, many years, and passed a 
 very pleasant Evg. [Evening] with Prof. De Friese's family. He returned
 with Mr. Brown from Utretcht [Utrecht] & Amsterdam soon after
 we were there. We saw in the day the old church
 where Clusius, Boeshave [Boeshaave], & so many distinguished men
 are buried, & went in to find the monuments. They
 were all exceedingly simple, & quite without high sounding
 epitaphs. We left Leyden for Rotterdam early Monday
 morning, & on Tuesday took the steamer for London, which 
 we reached after about 24 hours passage over a most tranquil, 
 pleaseant sea. In London we were glad to meet my
 Aunt, Mrs. Lowell with all the family, on their way to Paris.
 And most agreably [agreeably] too, Mr. Harvey was there. Dr. Gray
 saw Dr. Boott several times. He has been sick again. And
 Sir Wm. Hooker has been very dangerously ill. He is now
 recovering, though [crossed out: quite fast] [added: slowly]. But is still at the sea shore
 where he has been for some weeks past. He had only a 
 hurried visit of a few days in London, for Dr. Gray was eager
 to get down here & fall to work. He has gained  I think
 very much in strength. Though now we must see how
 he bears labour after so long a vacation. As for me
 I am wonderfully better than when I left home, though
 not quite so well this last week or two. I took a heavy
 cold in Munich, for we suffered much with the cold
 weather there. But I can walk 3 or 4 miles now with 
 great comfort. 


 Dr. Gray says Mr. Bentham has written to Mr. Smith [added: about the eriogoneae] at
 Kew, but owing to Sir Wm's [William's] absence, has heard nothing as yet.

        