
          Cambridge June 4th 1825

Dear friend,

Long since you must have given up all
hopes of ever hearing from me. An opportunity 
now offers of sending you a few lines and I feel
inclinced to embrace it. Your last letter and answer 
to my last is dated July 13th 1822, since which
time nearly three years have elapsed. Often have I 
considered writing and as often failed to finish anything
worthy your notice. To you and certainly
to him an enumeration of the almost endless variety
of [?] which have so long [harmed?] me in [?]
could give no satisfaction. They are now past and
let the shades of oblivion set upon them.
Permit me to observe that doomed in all probability 
to exercise the Profession of [McCiein?] for a living
without even the prospect of a release it has
been absolutely necessary to concentrate my mind
upon it or in this place sink into insignificance.
Under such circumstance you can easily image [imagine]
how difficult it is to [?] any [?] of natural
science. Limited as my opportunities are
botany still occupies a portion of my leisure, but
it can interest no one but myself. Last fall
when in New York I called to see you but found
you have left the City & circumstances prevented
my stopping at West Point. Where even there a few
plants which I wished to lay before you & as many
of them as possible I will [?] by this opportunity. I find
        