
          Cambridge. Friday afternoon 


 24th May, 1844.


 My Dear Friend 


 Your kind favor of the 21st inst [instant]
 reached me just now: about 2 hours after Mrs T. [Torrey]
 must have reached you at Princeton. You will 
 thus obtain the latest news of me. I have not 
 had time to write for a week or ten days a letter 
 to any one, and there is a fine accumulation on my 
 table. But I will begin with yours, as indeed 
 I have two unanswered from you, and will touch 
 upon such points of your inquiries that I can
 en passant answer. 


 First of all let me hope that Dear Mrs. T. [Torrey]
 has returned with renovated strength. I have no doubt 
 the excursion has done her good; though for want 
 of time we have perhaps attempted to accomplish 
 too much, and taxed her powers perhaps to [too] greatly. 
 We are far from having seen every thing: But then,
 I expect another visit, with yourself and Herbert, when 
 I get into the new house. 


 Tell Mrs. T. [Torrey] that after leaving her in the [Cars?] 
 I reached Cambridge and my lecture with great spirits. 
 In the evening made some calls, and finished the 
 day with a meeting of the Scientific Club and 
 a fine supper. Also say that, on visiting 
 the garden this morning, I found that Carter had 
 not put the seedling Nemophila insignis into
 the box, nor the Pinks. I hope he forgot no 
 others. But on looking about to-day I see 
 several things that I wonder I did not think of 
 yesterday, such as Physostegia, which flowers very
 finely here. But you will not succeed in 
 making many plants grow unless you shade
 them with large pots for a week when the sun
 shines.


 I have great doubts whether you have done 
 well in ordering a hundred dollar microscope 
 from Chevalier; and would suggest the propriety of 
 your countermanding  the order, at once. It is not 
        