P. S.—The last steamer brought good news of peace and strength in England, dissipating the alarm of many, but I felt none myself, having a strong confidence in the soundness of Old England and the durability of her institutions, of which I am here esteemed an over admirer.
Dr. Gray was married, May 4, 1848, to Jane L., daughter of Charles Greely Loring, a lawyer in Boston. In June they made a short journey to Washington, that Dr. Gray might, on undertaking to describe the plants of the United States Exploring Expedition, see Commodore Wilkes.
TO JOHN TORREY.
Cambridge, 8th May, 1848.
Yesterday I sent to Grant at Wiley’s for you a parcel containing some “Linnæas,” etc., received from Hamburg, your copy of Seubert on Elatine, and a bound copy of the “Genera Floræ Americæ Boreali-Orientalis Illustrata,” which I ask you to accept, and which I trust you will like. There is also a specimen inclosed of some vegetable product that has lately become somewhat common here, and which I thought you might like to examine. It is apparently of a rather complicated structure, in fruit evidently, but syncarpous; the heterogenous and baccate or fleshy ovaries being immersed without apparent order in a farinaceous receptacle. If you should be at all puzzled. with it, and can’t find out to what particular family it belongs, you might call in the aid of Mrs. Torrey and the girls, to aid in the investigation. I dare say you will make it out.
June, 1848.
I am just home this morning, and as I had no time yesterday to reply to your kind letter of Saturday, I write at once now....
Friday evening we were at the White house, to see Madame Polk. We have accomplished a great deal of sight-seeing and all in our week and a day, and J.
THE BOTANIC GARDEN HOUSE IN 1852