
          [at top left: Recd. Dec. 18th]


 Hillsgrove 28 Nov 1840


 Dear Sir,


 I hope you will excuse the liberty I take in
 writing you as nothing was said about it before I left. My
 ostensible errand is to take some method to obtain the other
 numbers of the Flora; but my real motive is to obtain a letter
 in return by which I can learn something of your family
 as I have heard nothing of them indirectly since I left.


 As to the Flora ^ [inserted: after Nos 1 & 2] could you ever contrive to send it in
 some box of Merchandise directed to any [trader?] in Quincy, Ill.
 or Warsaw, Ill. with a letter to be mailed to me from that
 place informing me of its arrival directed "I F Holtom Hillsgrove
 McDonough Co Ill.", all would be safe.* I could now safely
 promise to repay you - a promise I could not have made when
 I left, as cash is wofully scarce here. I have not yet received
 a dollar in this state but I have earned many & will be
 able at some time to get some of them I hope you will
 answer this soon as convenient stating how you progress
 with the Flora & one or two of the most important items
 of Scientific intelligence. This is the most that I dare ask
 from your time but I hope Mrs T. or some of the girls 
 will fill out every corner even tho' it should be a folio
 post sheet. I have now done my errand & thus far of my letter
 is all that it is necessary that you should read: the rest
 of the letter will more probably interest the rest of your
 family than your self busied as you always are with
 more important affairs. I should have written much sooner
 but I determined to wait till I received my books etc. which
 I left at Detroit to come by water. I expected them in a 
 few weeks after my arrival but week after week elapsed
 & I have been kept almost without clothes & what was worse
 without books till this week. The last praire [prairie] flower is
 dead & I have not till now seen a Botanical work this year.
 I feared that my books either were lost or would be
 utterly ruined ere I got them. In this case I must of necessity
 have abandoned forever the purchase of scientific books
 or at least till the loss of more necessary books had been supplied.


 [crosswise in the left margin:
 * If you have left the city & will write where you would leave a package for me I
 may probably get some N.Y. merchant to send for it when he is packing a box
 by [?] Quincy. - If you have a photographic specimen you do not value I would be glad
 I fear this will never reach you.

        