Letter from Manasseh Cutler to Harvard College, January 18, 1781

To the Honourable & Reverend the Corporation of Harvard College see Life of Dr. Cutler Vol. 1 p. 82 Gentlemen, Permit me to repsent to your Honourable & Reverend Board, that I have been endeavouring with considerable labour & pains to investigate the botanical characters of such Trees & Plants as may fall under my observation, which are indigenous to this part of America, & have not been discribed by botanists; also to make out a catalogue of those which are found growing here, but have been found in other parts of the World & therefore need no botanical discription; and of such as have been propagated here, but are not the spontaneous production fo the country. An attempt of this kind, which I am not sensible has yet been undertaken, will be necessary to furnish materials for a natural History of the country, in which we are, at present, very deficient. But I find my self unable to

to prosecute my plan for want of some of the latest Botanical Publication, not only for determining, with more accuracy, if Botanical characters of Trees and Plants, but especially for acertaining those which have already been discovered and described. I have sent to Europe for several Books, and particularly for Dr. Hill's natural History but none of them would be procured. I can not find that any of those Books, which will be of much advantage are any where in this State, except in the College Library.

I therefore beg leave to request that your answerable Revernd Baard will grant me the favour of Dr. Hill's natural History from the College Library, for a short time; and I will be accountable for the careful usage and safe return of it to the Library again, and will pay whatever sum shall be required for the use of it. Such a favour will conser a very special Obligation on. Gentelmen, your most obedient and most humble servant, M Cutler

Ipswitch Jan. 10th 1781 Letter to Corporation of University Cambridge