Part No. 46 - Letter from Ellen Hutchins to Dawson Turner

1 folded sheet

Transcript

My dear Sir

Tho I can hardly hold my pen after the fatigue of yesterdays excursion & have much to do this morning I cannot resist the gratification it gives me to tell you of my pleasures & to enclose part of my treasures, I set out at 3 oClock in the morning for a distant mountain lake, which I had once before visited, at a time when I did not collect plants. on the way I walked thro a deep & curious glen, where I was delighted beyond expression at finding in a little gloomy cavern that beautiful rarity Hymenophyllum alutum I cou’d not find a single frond in fruit, I have brought home roots to plant, I placed some by a rock at one side of my flower garden where I had a morsel that I got from Killarney last year growing, so that I may expect the good roots I have now planted will flourish. {1} I have put more in another situation, I cannot enclose you a fine specimen but have some good ones for the next parcell. I suppose you got it long since from Mr Mackay. however you will not be sorry to have a little more from me. by the side of the lake I found the fine Jungermannia No. 59 which I enclose. {1} it is not the same of† any specimen I have from Mr Hooker. perhaps it may be new. {1} I have a large store of it but cou’d not find fruit, if it be any thing that you wou’d like more of I can supply you abundantly. {1} I am told that the Hymenophyllum has been nearly destroyed at Killarney, the place where it grows is so well known that any person can find it, I have a Hieracium that I cannot make out & will send you in a few days with some of the mosses that you wished to get more of. at this time you will excuse my looking for them, I heard from Mr Mackay that Mr Hookers first No. had been left with him for me. {1} I expect to have it in a few days, I suppose you met with some person who brought it to him. let me again thank you for the beautiful & valuable american mosses, I wish I coud send you so great a number of any thing, equally valuable, the best I can I am & shall ever be willing to give, indeed it is a great pleasure when I find any thing new to think it will give you pleasure, A friend near Dublin has lately sent me Dicranum polycarpum & Gym[n]ostomum microstomum. {1} I dare say you have them but if not I can share with you or get you some. Mr Mackay has just sent me a little Gymnostomum that I had not before seen. {2} it is like mic[r]ostomum but different—

You have long before this returned from Town & I hope found Mrs Turner & all your girls well, little Ellen will soon be able to call you. how does she get on? I have not answered your last kind letters, I shd have written but was disabled for some days by Rheumatism in my arm. I hope to go again into the mountains next week & if I find any thing worth sending or telling you about you shall soon hear of it for I feel as if I never cou’d send anything I find soon enough,

Ever faithfully yours
E H.

July 1t 1812

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The date ‘July 1’ has been added at the head in pencil.

{1} Full stop supplied. The preceding word is at the end of a line.

{2} Full stop supplied.

† Sic.

Pasted to a guard in O.13.10.

This description was created by A. C. Green in 2022.