12 May 1848 [2] (seq. 170)

but I have had difficulty in keeping down an unde-
-fined jealous sort of feeling, as if she had taken from
me one of my best friends. When we know each
other better, this feeling will give place to one of
a purer holier kind, but just now I am half vexed
with her for absorbing so much of your affections that
you won't hereafter have the same kind of intercourse with
me that I have enjoyed so long. I am prepared,
however, to love her as a sister, but fear to let her
see much of me, because she cannot be expected to
bear with my weaknesses as you have done. As
soon as our vacation arrives, I shall make you a
short visit.
___
I send you what I believe to be sound fruit of Berchemia seeds,
— but have been surprised how generally (except some from Arkansas) they
are abortive. Of Sageretia I send you all that remain on my
specimen. The little sketches were made long ago & can hardly aid you
in completing the anatomy. Of Stuartia {Stewartia} pentagyna I send a good
capsule — but the fruit of Gordonia pubescens is not in my herbarium.

About how many of those Texan plants of Wright are desiderata
in my herbarium? I should like to have some if they are not
too dear. I will take the Kooskoosky {Kooskooskie} plants when Carey tells
me what I want & gladly pay $8 per 100 for them. Mr. Field
does not care much for plants that are not indigenous to New-
Jersey — I mean to procure them for his herbarium.

The parcel sent to Hastings has not yet been received, but
we look for it tonight. We shall all put some of that
carpological nondescript under our heads & tell you our
dreams when we meet. Two of the girls (who had been some
weeks in New York — Jane & Eliza) returned a day or two ago.
Margaret is there still, but her eyes are so much better
that we expect her home in a fortnight. You were infor=
med, I believe, that nearly a year ago, she was affected with
a painful affection of her eyes, that prevented her read using them
to read. There was nothing we noticed in their appearance — nor
was she injured by using them for ordinary purposes — but reading
gave her great pain. Dr. Delafield says it is a common dis-
=ease of young persons who read much at night. I hope she will
soon be permanently cured.