Letter from Manasseh Cutler to Ebenezer Hazard, October 21, 1785

Ipswich Oct 21st 1785 Sir, By the newspapers last spring, I was informed that the [indecipherable] Society at Philadelphia had done me the honour [crossed out] of [end crossed out] to elect me a member [crossed out] of their Society [end crossed out]. And my much respected friend, the Reverend [?Mr. Belknap?], not long after, informed me to whom I was indebted for procuring this mark of attention from so respectable a literary society. The honor conferred is too flattering not to be highly pleasing, and demands my warmest acknowledgements to you, Sir, for the kind part you have taken in procurring it, as well as to Mr. Belknap for the obliging manner, in which his friendly partiality has led him to mention me to you. Please to accept my most hearty thanks for the favor you have done me, and excuse my long delay in making my acknowledgements, which has been occasioned by my expecting an Official letter from one of [indecipherable] of the Society. _ I most sincerely wish the two literary Societies established in America may cultivate the warmest friendship for each other, and by their united excertions, promote the important ends of their Institutions. The printing of the Vol. of Memoirs of the American Academy will be completed in a few weeks, and the Comm- concerned in this publication would be much obliged by recieving a list of the Members of the Society at Philadelphia, as they wish, in the list of Members of the Academy [crossed out] that is to be [end crossed out] and will be published in this Vol. to [crossed out] [indecipherable] who are likewise [end crossed out] mention those as members of [crossed out] the [end crossed out] Society at Philadelphia who are members of both Societies. If it would not be inconvenient for you, would solicit the favor of procuring such a list, and transmiting it to me as early as may be. For several years past I have [crossed out] employed my [end crossed out] [crossed out] [indecipherable] [end crossed out] paid some attention to botancical enquires, I have made some advances in exploring the vegetable production in this part of the county. And should be extremely happy to correspond with some gentlement in the southern states, who are acquainted with the Linnean System, with a view of ascertaining what vegetable productions are [indecipherable]