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Letterhead:
EDMUND BERKELEY
42 CANTERBURY ROAD
BELLAIR
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA 22901

December 12, 1976

Mrs. W. Porter Ware
Jessie Ball duPont Library
The University of the South
Sewanee, Tennessee 37375

Dear Louise,

Exactly ten years ago you very kindly sent me copies of several letters written by The Reverend Moses Ashley Curtis (1808-1872), of Hillsborough, North Carolina, to Major Fairbanks and to The Rt. Reverend William Mercer Green. Edmund and I were then at Greensboro, and we were planning to attempt a biography of Curtis, an able botanist as well as a clergyman. You may perhaps have wondered since what became of that project. We were also at that time working on a biography of Dr. Alexander Garden, and we soon found it necessary to defer work on Curtis. In the process we went on from Garden to Dr. John Mitchell and to John Bartram. Having at last finished work on all of those 18th century gentlemen, we are at long last returning to full-time work on Curtis. We have been making a more serious study of the letters we collected ten years ago, and we have been acquiring a good many more. As soon as we get these under control we must spend some time at Chapel Hill, where a great many Curtis papers are located, and which started us on the man in the first place.

You may find the enclosed quotation from one of Curtis' many letters to Asa Gray amusing if you are not already familiar with it. There are a number of other references to the University in his letters, and eventually I will collect them for you.

Two questions arise as we study the letters which you sent so long ago. First, the one dated December 26, 1867, which you said was written to Green seems questionable. Curtis in the letter said, in reference to a Dr. Hubbard; "Bishop Green can tell you all about him, so I need not say more." A further statement: "You who are in the centre of operations must bear the burden..." seems to suggest Major Fairbanks. Sometime when you have a chance we would appreciate your reading this letter and giving us your opinion.

Our second question has to do with a letter you listed as being in the Polk collection, a letter from Bishop Polk to Curtis, dated September 21, 1857. If you sent us this one we have managed to file it so carefully that not even we can find it, which is entirely possible. We shall appreciate it greatly if you can send us a copy of it.

Cordially yours,

Dot.