
          Dr. J. Torrey N Yk        
Philadelphia 15th Decr [December] 1839
Recd Decr 19th

My old friend.  Your letter of the 5th Octr [October] with PS. of 15th has
crossed with my letters, & the pamphlets, sheets sent by Mr.  Horn
Now I have none of yours for 2 months, nor any books, plants nor remitts.

Yr letter was interesting for the news it contained but left so on other
topics.  As you have made up your mind to follow orthodox blunder
& not attend to heterodox corrections, we shall leave the opinion to time.
I merely refer to my unanswerable argument (in Celestial philosophy)
What is true now was true 100 years ago, altho' deemed false by orthodox
teachers or writers.  And what will be found true in 100 years time is also
true now, altho' not yet acknowledged.

In yr [your] PS you made many mistakes, by refering to my small acct [account] you
will see that I stated which sent & rec'd [received] by you, & which were to be sent
on receiving paymt [payment].  It is strange you will neither send paymt [payment] nor yr [your] works
5 copies of which I could have sold for you.

The parts  1 & 2 of text of Autikon Bot. are printed & wait yr time
price only 50 cents each part.  The N [number] 1 of Good Book or Annal is printed
& contains a review of yr [your] flora.  The 5 Gen Torreya, 10 G. ombelliferas etc.
If I find a private way I will send the Indexes to both works.

My [crossed out: trouble & care} [added: exertions & labors] to improve Botany deserve (& will receive in
time) more attention than you can bestow.  I suppose that you do not
understand the late improvts [improvements] in Chemistry, Zoology & Geology, since
you do not understand those in Botany.  You send to collect names
Monographs & rare works in Europe, but neglect Bartram & 6 others
with my late labors!  Is it just?

My Autikon Botanikon of 2500 figures by Specimens will reply
to your doubts, there non but self speciment are given & described
the 1 parts or 10 Centuries contain already as follow

1 part - 112 N G illustr [illustrated] 38 first descr [described] 220 n Sp 132 new descr
2d part 91 ------ Do -[ditto]                 31  Do                                     220  Do   156   Do

Thus the 25 centuries will contain nearly 500 N G and 1000 N Spec of
mine illustrated, whereas half now first determined & described.  Since
there will be no difficulty to sell the figures, try to sell for me one copy
out of the only 5 made up & you will render me a serice.

If you are a phrenologist (which I am not) you must try to find out
if you dont lack the bump of discrimination, for many plants go thru [through]
yr [your] hands that you cannot distinguish but blend as Linneus did once for 1000.

But in result all the botanical labors coincide & afford materials,
opinions may differ, but facts & objects exist.  Clintas are the essential data
in form variable & invariable or [illegible] permanent.  Names only serve to
fix these clintas of forms in human memory. 
Your old & true friend
C S. Rafinesque
172 Vine Street

PS How many N. G & Sp of foreign plants
not American have you published? & how
many Nuttal ?  How many connections made?
        