
          Philadelphia 12th April 1828

My good friend How did it happen that
you called on me when here at the last moment? I called
3 times since at your hotel to see you. Why did you not
send me a line thru Post office to appoint an interview?
I would have been so glad to see you & converse with you.
I wanted to offer you my medical flora 1st vol. just published,
which is dedicated to you, Dr. Short & Mr. Elliott.
I have a copy in reserve for you, whenever you send for it or
tell me how to send it. I hope you will approve of this
work and find in it, something to interest you although
confined by the subject & manner, I have tryed to throw
in some new facts and botanical discussions. I invite
your attention to the articles Cypripedium, Erythronium,
Fragaria, Gentiana, Heuchera & some of the figures are
new and good; but not all equally well. I regret it but it is
not owing to me. The style is such as I should wish to see
introduced extensively.

I can engrave myself now, I am engraving on pewter
and zinc some of my plates for my Monuments of America.
I could engrave Plants very easily in Pewter. What do 
you think of a Flora of the Un. St. [United States] with a figure for every
plant, engraved in the style of Michaux or better. Do you
remember my hint when I saw you last on this subject?
but now I could furnish you all the plates myself!
at a very cheap rate. This would be a work of time you
might take Mr Schweinitz & other friends for collaborators.
I should only be one myself and furnish rare plants,
remarks, varieties, localities &c. This would be equal to
the English Botany of Sowerby and yet the price would
be only one Dollar for 100 figures and Descriptions!
The plan, name, size, terms & I leave to your reflection
Why not adopt the french plan at last of working in
common in Natural & Medical Sciences? but above all
to render Science cheap, attainable to all & thus diffusible

        