
          be more acceptable to you, that it was in my
power to offer you, than a collection of his
plants, & I begged him just before he departed
for the East Indies whither he is now gone,
to select them for you. Properly speaking
I ought to have named them first, but this
I have no time to do. I know that you
will not publish such as [are?] now, and this
will be my province, & you are quite welcome
to allude to them in reference to the
plants you already have, & in short to do
anything but give names to them. I have
just received the last letter that I shall probably
have from Dr. [Sir John] Richardson while he
is on the other side the Atlantic. He has
been more successful in plants than in the
great object of the journey & I expect much
novelty from the expedition.

You will see that besides my other botanical
labours, by some specimens of plants
which I send you, that I am about to
undertake a "Miscellanea Botanica," destined
to receive figures & descriptions of
new or little known plants. I have long
contemplated such a work & shall spare 
no pains to make it as valuable as I can.
I have already numerous excellent subjects

        