
          account. He was not well when I took leave of
him at Chatham. He got better & on arriving 
at Madeira botanized for 2 days & then took to
his bed for all the rest of the time. A brother 
officer says "he is very ill & thin & unfit for 
the voyage." But we cannot now recall him. 
It will be 4 mos. [months] at least before the news of 
his brother's death can reach him. I derive 
comfort from his letter, dated 2 days after that 
of the officer, assuring me that he was then getting 
better. That was the 31st Octr. [October]. Since when [then] we 
have heard no news from him or of him. Our 
next letters will be from St. Helena the end of 
next month (April). There my dear friend 
are the trials to which we are now subjected,
the first heavy afflictions we have ever experienced. 
May they work together for our good!

The papers will have told you of the death 
of the Duke of Bedford. In him I have lost 
a sincere & constant friend. He had made 
such arrangements previous to his death, that 
it is possible if a National Botl. [Botanical] Garden were 
to be instituted I might have the charge. But 
that seems [added: less] likely than ever. Ministers have 
absolutely offered to give the whole collection 
of plants at Kew to the Hortl. Socy. [Horticultural Society] or to a new 
socy [society] "The Regents' Park Garden." They have 
refused & it has been said (in the Atheneum) that 
anybody may have the plants by asking for 
them. I sometimes contemplate retiring from my 
professorship & living near some very dear friends 
in England, the Turners in Norfolk or the [Palgrens?] 
near London. But I fear I am not quite independent
enough, as to income, without which I desire
        