
          of business on hand & I cannot expect my affair
should at present recieve [receive] much attention at their 
hands.

While in London I was strongly urged by Longman 
to undertake for a new edn. [edition] of Chalmers' Biogr. dicty. [Biographical dictionary of]
the lives of naturalists, that I refused, but of a 
[?] to prepare those of the botanists. Dr. Gray assured 
me that much valuable information might 
be procured from America. No doubt the lives 
of many American botanists are published in 
some of your journals & biographical dictionaries & perhaps 
reviews & magazines. Can you refer me to 
them? Of some Dr. Gray says you can give 
me information, as Baldwin for example wh. [which] 
will come early & perhaps Schweinitz, which 
will come last in the work. Is there any 
work devoted to the lives of scientific men? For 
I should be glad to purchase any that are worth 
my purchasing in consequence of the [question?]
of information they may contain. Do you 
know anything, again, of Bradbury? Dr. Gardner 
&c?

I think I did send you a little parcel some 
2 mos. [months] ago. At any rate I find very little in the 
way of botany to forward to you by this opportunity. 
You will recieve part VII of Beechey,
nos. 9, 10 & 11 of Ann. of Nat. hist. [Annals of natural history] (no. 12 of this mo. [month]
has not yet reached me), a little brochure of Webb's,
&, for Mr. Sullivant, by order of Dr. Gray (who has 
paid for it) a copy of Drummond's British 
mosses. By Dr. Gray's letter of yesterday I learn
Mr. S. [Sullivant] also wishes to have a full set of the American
        