
          Cambridge July 20, 1847.


 My Dear Friend 


 Yours of the 15th postmarked 
 17th reached me yesterday, so that I have 
 two unanswered, which I will hastily reply to.


 Did you not know that an application 
 has come from Wilkes, thro' [through] Pickering, to Sprague 
 to make some botanical drawings for Expl. 
 Exped. [Exploring Expedition], which, as I supposed they were to be 
 for your use. I persuaded Sprague to promise 
 to undertake, at $10 for each folio drawing 
 with the dissections full. But since his 
 answer given to P. [Pickering] we have heard nothing, nor are 
 we anxious to do so. I agreed to surrender a 
 part of Spragues time merely because I knew you 
 would like to have your drawings made by him, 
 but it will of course delay my own undertakings.


 The price we fixed is as low as S. [Sprague] can do
 them for, to any advantage, even if he had nothing 
 else to do. The price I fixed for the drawings
 of Genera, & which I thought very large, ($6. pr [per]
 plate) does not thus far pay Sprague day
 wages, he takes so much time and care 
 with them. I can only hope that the experience 
 and facility he is getting will enable him to knock 
 them off faster hereafter. You see therefore
        