RK-208

Boston Nov. 24th

Robert Kennicott Esq

Dear Sir

I beg to assure you that no apologies are necessary for any application you may be please to make and to ask you not to think to apologise for so doing - I am in your debt and moreover owe you an apology for not having written to you long ago to acknowledge the receipt of the box. Only I have been so pressed for time by private business that I have not even ofered it to see if it was all safe - if you knew me you would not ask a favor [illegible] that I was badly [illegible] for time - I hope in a few days to get a little respite & to be able to write to you more at leisure than I can now do. In answer to your queries I have to

say that we expect no fees from correspondent members other than in their facilities they can send us in specimens, facts, communications and whatever may be of interest to us to receive or know - [pecuni?] ary there is none. Our President Dr Jeffries Wynan is our only member that suggests himself to me as interested in mammals.

I do not wonder you of Northern Illinois who did so splendidly should lament the ignorance and perverseness of Central and Southern Illinois. But is it not far worse for our Winthrops, our [illegible] our Kirtlands and our Everetts, who can enter no real plea and have not even the excuse, poor as it is, of ignorance - to have done no better than the long and [illegible] men you speak of. I could ex cuse them, while I lemented their short sightedness - but more

What can I say for there have ever excuse their faithlessness to freed our -

But let us not be discouraged we triumphed over the enlightened (?) [illegible] of Boston in spite of State Street. Even [illegible] Street voted for Fremont and [illegible] So will you yet triumph over your Egypt.

In haste yours truly Thomas M Brewer