From Revd James Dalton   22 October 1829

Accept my best thanks, Dear Sir, for your kind present, which I received yesterday― but too late to allow of my acknowledging the rec ^t. of them by that day's Post. Your letter, too, promises farther assistance, deserves & has my unfeigned gratitude. I could almost regret your muscological treasures being so far advanced, as it prevents my doing so much as I am bound to do:― In some few instances, however, I can add to your collection; & you shall have every Jungermannia I possess. During the progress of Hooker's beautiful & excellent work, I attended to them, as well as other genera; & those I shall send as of my own gathering. Funaria Muhlenbergii I was the first to detect, in England. I think Botanists seem disposed to make it a var. of F: hygometrica― &, in good truth, there is little beyond habit to separate them. Our Friend Hooker will play the devil amongst now admitted species, or am much mistaken in him; & I think science can suffer nothing by making these many into varieties, till some incontrovertible distinction shall be discovered, entitling them to the dignity of species. In the genera of Rubus― Rosa― Carex & Salix, much may be done, without violence, in this way. The fashion of splitting hairs is not a good one, tho' adopted by Lindley now, & by poor Smith lately:― but, in publishing Eng: Botany, everything was admitted which c ^d. add a plate, & that plate put 6 ^d in the Editor's pocket. Smith, in his last publication, endeavors to uphold his former work; and how far he has succeeded, I will not presume to discuss with the Professor of Botany.

I see you quote Hinton, as the station of the beautiful Athamanta. I could go to the spot, if it be in Ray's Field as well as to that of Lonicera caprifolium & Viburnum lantana All were planted there by Relhan; at least he owned this with Athamanta, & did not disown it as to the others. He was a slippery chap― but we must allow him the benefit of that humbugging "de mortuis nil nisi bonum", upon which too many have the claim of charity. I can send you some Swiss plants, & shall have much pleasure in doing so. My life has been uniformly retired(?), & no opportunity of studying Exotic Botany, worth adoption, has ever presented itself. Iam frumit nose! & our native productions are full as much as I ever attend to. With those, however, I can still be very busy, & my heart is as warm as ever towards those who will acknowledge me as a fellow-laborer, & assist my now uniformly retarded progress. I will not despair, Dear Sir, of seeing you thus far north; &, with true old English sincerity, promise you a cordial welcome, & a Bottle of the best (not bad) I have. In the consumption of this, or even more, ever worthy Macfarlan will lend a hand: &, were he here now, would, I am sure, beg to be remembered with all & every profession of Friendship.

I am, Dear Sir, your sincere & much obliged Friend | James Dalton

With the exception of about 3 acres of Pyrola rotundifol: we have hardly a plant worth notice in this cold-clay-country.