Yours ever,
A. Gray.
P. S.—No other botanist has the news.
October 28, 1878.
... I wrote to Hyams how much immortality he lost, or rather postponed, for his son, by not sending me that specimen eighteen months ago, so that it would go into “Flora,” but that I should make his name famous in “Silliman’s Journal,” pro tem.
I took the latter end of his letter to be a cancel of his request to return the specimen. Told him that in May either you or I or both would be down, call for his boy, and be taken to the spot!
I have no objection to give him money for this specimen, if he wants it. But I would not advise that he advertise it. But if he can find plenty of roots, he might legitimately put them on sale, and get a good price. Why should he not?
I did not say, before, that this discovery has given me a hundred times the satisfaction that the election into the Institute did. That caused no particular elation. This has been a great satisfaction.
November 5, 1878.
... I send a brief notice to “Silliman’s Journal.” And I am finishing an account of the matter, which I will send to Paris, to Decaisne, for the “Académie des Sciences,” as a “Correspondent” ought.
I have declined to risk the specimen by mail, till we get more, which is not so certain.