cutler-letters_prof-crell_1786-11-24_01

Ipswich, State of Massachusetts, Nov. 24 1786

Sir,

Botany and zoology have been so little pursued in North
America that many of our native plants and animals remain unknown
to European naturalists. The vastly extended tracks of uncultivated
lands in this country, open an extensive field to the researches
of the botanist, and still afford a favourable opportunity for distin-
-uishing, with no small degree of accuracy, the exotic plants, [crossed out] from [end crossed out]
which have been introduced, from those which are indigenous.
My leisure hours have been employed, for several years past,
in exploring the plants and animals of this part of America; I have
made it a particular object of my inquiry to ascertain the vege-
-tables used by the Aborigines for medical and [eccanomical?] purposes.
As few books on natural history have found the way into this
part of America, and being much alone in these pursuits, I have
been induced to wish for the advantages of a correspondence in
Europe, and especially to be honored with information from a Gentleman
who is so obliging as to make the proposal to you, encourages me
to hope it will meet your approbation. Any communications, in
my power, which you may wish to receive from this country, I
shall make with the greatest pleasure, and shall wish to be informed
of the present literary characters in Europe,--of the late publicaitons
particularly those on natural history, and of several other particulars,
which, with your leave, I shall make the subject of another letter.
W. Vaughan has requested a botanical paper, published in the
1st Vol. of the Memoirs of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
for your perusal. It was an hasty production, which I was induced
to communicate to that Society, rather from the solicitations of
some