Letter from Manasseh Cutler to Judge John Davis

[illegible] Judge Davis Sir, In my last I mentioned my intent to trouble you with another letter on the subject of botany. Encouraged by a few words of with papers on our way to call on W. Adam, I take the liberty of informing you that it would be [crossed out] very [end crossed out] agreeable to me to take one or two botanical pupils for next summer. [As you have a taste for botany your self] Botany has long been an object of my pursuit, with view fo publishing some all; of the vegetable products: of which are England states, but [numerious?] avocations, and many untoward circumstances, have prevented the accomplishments of my design. The premature publications of the paper in the Memory of the Accord. I have reflected upon, with much regret, but could never condemn the notices which induced me to present at the time. I intend 2 long ago to have corrected the errors many of which [are to be found in it, many of which unavoidably arose from the want of [books?], (of which I had then no knowledge), or well on longer grace his, by communicating another paper to the Academy [?to the society?] Still I flatter my self with the hope of doing this, and something more; and feel the stronger inclusion on the occasion of a very unaccountable in atention to this branch of science which pervades all our literary institutions. Natural history in its various branches has engage the literati of Europe for years past, and at the present time, I believe more than anything else in the whole circle of science. There are no medical Gentlemen of eminence some informed, who are not acquainted with botany. And it has become a prevailing amusement for Ladies and Gentlemen of taste and leisure. I find, too, that students in @Physics in the middle and southern states consider botany an essential part of instruction to gratify them for practice. By a letter, I received a few days ago from a Mr. Gray, brother of a member of Congress, from Virginia, now in Philadelphia, I am informed there are, in the College in that city, 130 medical students, all of whom go through a regular course of botanical studies and attend to the practical part, under the tuition of Dr. Barton, with botanical [?prosess?]. So it not be regretted that in Massachusets not one medical Gentleman is a Botanist?

For

For a number of years, I have been collecting botanical books, and about three years ago, I received from Great Briton, at one time, botanical books to the amount of more than five hundred dollars, collected for by some distinguished botanical correspondence, by [?five?] others which I have occasionally from different parts of Europe.

If nothing [?intervenes?] wh I do not unforsee (should prevent,) it is my intention to go through a wurse yr. next summer, wh would be peculiar advantageous to students. Not being willing to depend upon notes already made, all tho? I have a monstrous pile. I intend to reexamine, as far as possible, and preserve fresh speci-mens. I have another motive to do this. I am collecting and forwardg. specimens to correspondents in Europe. This afford a particular advantage to students, as it will give them the opportunity of seeing and examining a large number themselves, and will perfect them in distinguishing generic and specific [?cha.?] as well as preserving specimens.

The terms of board &c. I would place at the most moderate rate, for, I confess to you, I have some selfish views. They would afford me great assistance while they pursue the best possible course for them selves. As I have had less opportunity to examine our alpine plants, than any other, it is my inten-tion to visit white mountains in the course of the season, for when I was their I observed many which I have not seen elsewhere, but had not opportunity to examine so much as one of them. Some other advantages, in natural history, may be derived from the collection of animals which I am occasionally making for Mr. [?Payshall?]

The time proper to commence yr course (begin) will be an early in the Spring as vegetion begins to advance--A few flowers come forward early, there will be time for the intro-ductory studies--and should be continued until the frost in autumn. In this term, a person of tolerable genius and pretty close applications, may acquire all the instructions necessary for performing the studies by them selves--and for practical purposes.

I have gone into the detail to give you more different

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