
          Middletown, Ct. Oct. 30, 1848.

My dear Doct.,

It affords me sincere pleasure
to perform the work of supererogation which
you requested; and herewith I send you such a
document as I suppose the circumstances require.
If in any thing it can be amended, as is very
probable, please return it, with the proper suggestions,
and it shall have immediate attention.

We seem to be destitute of scientific news as
presented, all attention is turned towards our railroad
which is to connect us with New Haven and New
York. When it is finished, if the thing does not
take place before, I shall seriously expect that
visit "in situ."

Doct. Barratt has been for a year or more
abroad overwhelmed with his discoveries in prosecuting
the study of the Irish Language and cognate
dialects among the Irish people in this vicinity,
aided occasionally by a reference to books! A day
or two since he showed me a beautiful mineral specimen
with which I am not familiar but he had
not been able to determine it; nor could I by
new inspection. He was much [?] of secrecy
from the [discovery?], so that I do not know its "Habitat."
So his light still shine.

Yours

John Johnson

Doct. J. Torrey, M. D.
        