From Ellen Hutchins to Dawson Turner   12 Jul 1811

I cannot tell you, my dear Sir, how much & how often I have wished to write to you for some time past & how long I feel it is since I last wrote to you, but when you hear the causes of my silence you will not, I hope, think me negligent. For three weeks my Mother was very ill, & employed me day & night. As soon as she got better I began to make little excursions to the mountains, though after fatigue & confinement I was not strong. But my excursions were interrupted by the arrival of a visitor whose taste & mine did not agree. To her I was obliged to attend & endeavour to find amusement (no very easy matter in the mountains) for a mind devoted to dress & gaiety. She is just gone off & I seize almost the moment of her departure to thank you again & again for the pleasure your books give me. I read them while the rest of the family slept. M^r Hooker’s tour interested me greatly. It has delighted me & so far exceeded my expectations. What would he not do if he had materials? I cannot think how he has contrived to make his book so interesting after all his losses. The natural

wonders of the country are no doubt so great as to make any thing interesting but I think his unaffected strong descriptions impress them deeply on the mind. I admire his manner very much. The country one cannot admire, it overpowers with astonishment & bears an impression of terror. One is thankful for being an inhabitant of a milder climate & living at a distance from so dangerous a neighbour as a volcano, but to go see such a country must be the most agreeable thing possible. Every line I read I felt how much reason there was to regret the loss of Mr Hooker’s collections. I am sure he has a strong mind & is well fitted to bear the dangers of travelling & to give information to others in a most agreeable manner with much strength and simplicity as to make one feel and believe every word. I could fill my sheet with admiration of his Tour & thanks to you & him for the pleasure it has given. You will say how natural for an Irish woman to wish the poor Icelanders plenty of potatoes. I have often thought how happy they would be if they had but plenty of the wholesome vegetable with their fish. I wish they could have plenty of food. I have read Vaucher with

much interest he tells a great deal and leads one to minute examination but I believe he is often erroneous in his arrangements. I was greatly pleased just when I was reading accurate observations on the conjugatae I found Conferva dissiliens in the last state of its existence and with conjugated filaments. Its mode of connection differs a good deal from the other species and is very curious. Each joint is triangular and of course the filament is so. Dillwyn’s figure gives no idea of the nature of this species which makes it one of the most curious. I have found Conferva mucosa again. I had given Mr Dillwyn all I had preserved & never found it since until a few days ago. I have specimens on glass & on paper for you. I have found a curious water plant of which I enclose a specimen. You shall have a drawing when I can find time to do one. My Mother though much better is very weak, if she continues better I shall be able to go to the mountains some days next week. I was out yesterday up the banks of a mountain river and found the beautiful little Jungermannia I enclose, it is quite different from anything I have. The fruit stalks are all gone. I shall not be able to get it perfect till next year. I have been seriously endeavouring to find Jungermanniae for Mr Hooker & shall seek every nook and cranny I can get into. The little one I sent in a letter lately cannot I think be curvifolia as you suppose. The leaves are pointed & undivided. It seems to me a very distinct little species. It is much smaller than Curvifolia. It creeps on mosses on trees & on the stems of heath. The enclosed I think a great beauty. Sir T. Gage sent me J. ciliaris from a mountain near Killarney & another species that I do not know. I shall have great pleasure in sending you a good store of all of J. tomentella though it is plenty in many places. I have planned a few excursions when they are over I will make up for you a large parcel of Lichens &ca., but I wish to delay a little in the hope of having something new to send. I have not yet been able to read the life of Tasso I only began it last night. I am sure it is very interesting & I ever feel your kindness in wishing me to enjoy what gave you pleasure. I feel anxious for night that I may enjoy my book. Night & early morning is my time for indulging with a book. I should indeed have been delighted to see pictures with you in London. I should not enjoy any thing more, but such pleasures are not to be had every where, & I feel that I ought not to wish for any pleasure that would take me away from those who want me so much as my friends do. If they had but health I should feel happy with them any where. I have seen what you say is just that the solitude of London is much more shocking than that of the most remote retirement with any companion who interests one’s heart one can be happy. I have never felt so much alone as in a room with strangers in whom I had no deep interest. You were very good & kind to write so agreeable letter. Your account of the painting that pleased you so much was very amusing as well as that of the savage from New Holland. I also like to observe strong impressions & often amuse myself with imagining how a person would feel at their first sight of many objects familiar to us but I dare say I should be disappointed. Pray let me hear how Mrs Turner is. I shall be very glad to hear of her as often as you can tell me. I think I found Hypnum ?cupressus yesterday. It is not described In Musc. Hib. which you sent me. How can I thank you for all you have sent me I really know not. I am sorry Ping. grandiflora did not reach you in a good state. Lady Aylesford got her specimen very well she says. How provoking to me that yours should not be good. I sent you P. lusitanica and what I take for vulgaris after one of my mountain walks. Perhaps My Sagina is maritima. If you saw it recent you would think it very different from procumbens. I found Carduus heterophyllus the other day by a mountain stream.

Believe me, your ever faithful friend

E Hutchins

Ballylickey July 12th 1811