
          Ipswich, Sept 20, 1828

Dear Sir,

I had the pleasure of recg.[receiving] your last letter this
morning. It is entirely out of the question that I should
go with theexpedition, for beside my family, I have
as you know a job in hand which I wish to be rid
of as soon as possible & the preparation for which
I cannot affors to defer. I am acquainted however,
with a gentleman, James M Robbins M.D. of Colebrook,
Connecticut, who perhaps may be willing to go
whom I can recommend to you from my own knowledge,
as a person in a high degree qualified
for the situation, except in the point of an accurate
& extensive knowledge of plants, which is of less importance
where plants are to be all collected indiscriminately.
He is a man of more than ordinary talents. 26 years
old, exceedingly amiable dispoistion & [added: good constitution, takes the water without hesitation) thoroughly] upright &
faithful. He is also an exceedingly active, enthisiast
in preserving & keen eyed collection, [added: (impiger, indepessus, lynceus, acer)] makes [added: very] good &
complete specimens & in fact if he could be under your
instruction & among your collections for a year, would
I have no doubt be as well fitted for the situation
as could be [crossed out: easily] [added: reasonably] desired. He probably, however
at present knows at sight 2000 species, native
& [crossed out: foreign] cultivated, has collected most of the
plants of Connecticut, & also in Vermont & the
Southern States, where he spent several years as
[crossed out: a first] the master of a private school. At the same
time though I think him capable of examining &
describing an ordinary plant pretty thoroughly
& well. I am [?] that he has never studied
[crossed out: as thoroughly] the standard elementary works
thoroughly & ought to have before he goes
or during the voyage, a thorough grinding with
the Philosophia Botanica, Decandoll's 2 volumes,
& perhaps some of the lementary works.
        