
          I am fully aware of the ill consequences likely to follow my plan
of botanical warfare, & I do not even approve of it, if I ever shall put
it in execution, it will be in a fit of ill humour, & I may afterward
be sorry of increasing the difficulties of synonymy; but the consequence
of evil is enevitably evil!  I shall not begin the first to do evil.

My paper on Diplocea barbata (not Dimesia which is Holcus fragrans)
was wrote [crossed out:in] & sent to Mr. Silliman in January or Feb 1818.  Nuttal's
gen. was published in July, it is not my fault if Mr. Silliman has 
omitted to date my papers.  I should blame myself had I done
otherwise.  I am no plagiarist, until by robbing me, the robbers
will perhaps oblige me to pluck them in this turn.  Yet
you know that by robbing me of Toxylon etc. Nuttal could not have
complained should I have robbed Uralepsis & Synadra, yet I have 
for the benefit of Science given up my claims to [crossed out:Diplocea illegible][added:both]

Are you aware that Calamagrostis although admittedly [crossed out:by][added:(through] oversight
perhaps) by the great botanist Decondole [De Candolle], is an horrible compound
name formed of Calamus & Agroitis? as ammyrsine was!

I hope our friend Knuch married with the consent of his 
parents, if he did all right, it is quite natural to pick & choose.
If I had not thought that he was half engaged with Miss V.
I might have fallen in love with her myself & not got over it
in half an hour.  She deserves a good husband, I hope that if
you meet her again, you  may fall in love for a period
not quite so short.  Amen.

I shall write you from Lexington & give you some account
of my journey over the Mountains of Maryland which have
not been visited by many botanists.  I shall be there in a very
good season.  Write me when you send your plants , put
your letter in the parcel or box.

Believe me truly,  Your good friend
C.S. Rafinesque,
Prof. B & N.H in the
Tr. U. of L. Ky
        