TO GEORGE P. PUTNAM.
Bâle, July 23d.
... I left on Saturday morning for Lausanne and Freiburg, where I heard the big organ on Sunday; came on in the night to Berne, and yesterday to this place over the Jura. I wished here to see Professor Meisner, but found out this morning, some hours after the steamboat had left, that he was absent on a journey. I was a great fool for not finding that out last night, in which case I should now have been below Strasburg,—and this evening at Mannheim. As it is, I can’t wait here till Thursday morning for the next boat, and shall leave this evening for Schaffhausen and Tübingen, and thence push on, the best way I can, for Dresden and Leipsic. I do not lose a moment of time. Do not be surprised if I drop in upon you about the 4th or 5th of September. I would like to sail for home the latter part of that month. In early winter we will hope to give you an entire volume of “Flora,” and see what you can do with it. I have blocked out, in my mind, scientific labor enough for several years to come, and several works some of which will be good in a publisher’s acceptance of the term; others, I dare say, not. As Murray’s fame is derived from Byron, so shall you be immortalized and known to all posterity as the publisher of the celebrated Dr. Gray!!!
We have not much time to lose, and on my arrival at London I shall be wonderfully busy. I hope you will have picked up a great quantity of books for me by that time. My future credit and comfort will very much depend upon my bringing home an immense quantity of books for my money.... When I was in England I could scarcely hold up my head as a Yankee should—what with our border wars and domestic quarrels. But now I feel greatly relieved. The recent “Birmingham affair” and several other things fortunately (?) give me “wherewith to answer them that are of the contrary part.” Let them shut their mouths now! You know my address at Berlin, or you may address poste restante if you will. I think I shall be there till about the 25th August. I shall stop a few days at Hamburg. I think I may say that I shall not go up to Rostock. You will perhaps be receiving some letters for me, which, now you know my movements, you will act according to discretion either in forwarding to me or in retaining.
I have bought scarcely any books since I left Paris. I have had some good ones given me.
Excuse this hurried epistle. I have precious little time, and I find I am growing more and more slovenly every day. Adieu.
Most truly yours,
A. Gray.
TO GEORGE BENTHAM.
... Arrived at Geneva by way of Villeneuve and the Lake. De Candolle and Alphonse had returned only three days previous to my arrival. They received me very cordially, and I went through the herbarium as far as the “Prodromus” is prepared.