Kennicott Documents

1320

Washington Nov 16/56

Dear Robert.

Yours of Nov. 10' Just receivd Glad to hear of the living mice &c. They will come in time to figure[ink smeared]

It wont do to confine yourself to rodents; but what you cant say of your own knowledge respecting animals of the Prairies generally, borrow from others or compile from Aud. & Bach. I will revise.

Yours truly SF Baird

Robt. Kennicott

See Sillimans Journal, vol. 46. 1844./.23.7. for interesting notes by Dr. Plummer of Richmond, Ind. on Sorex and Weasel.

Milwaukee Nov 19. 1856

Dear Sir

The root the old trappers call wild potatoe is Apios tuberosa a vine that grows in the rich ground about marshes &c, though it is not an aquatic plant like the Saggittaria. I never saw one as big as a "large" potatoe - gess your trapper exagerated a little. The ususal size is that of a "small" potatoe say an inch or inch and a half in diameter. The tubers are usually enlarged portions of the under=ground stems [picture drawn]

I am glad you have taken up the subject of the mammals - But I do not see how I can help you - My City locality does not admit of making collections of this kind. - I know of but one cat=tail here, the Typha latifolia - but there are is another (T. angustifolia) a small species rarely found - Perhaps you have it. Mr. Binney I believe confines his attention to the "Air Breathing Terrestrial Mollusks." - this includes slugs & snails - succinea, Bulimus, &c -

If you can get an appropriation, I will aid you in the botanical department, if I can make it consistent with other engagements. You will see by the "Catalogue" I have sent that I am pretty well posted in your botany already. By-the-by would it be practicable to have this catalogue printed by itself - perhaps some of those liberal minded citisens of Chicago would take it in hand.

Very truly yours I. A. Lapham

Robert Kennicott Esq.

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Home Sunday Morning Nov. 23^d '56

Dear Bob

Yours, without date, came yesterday. You are right, to pay most attention to chemistry, anatomy and physiology, surgery, materia medica &c. - about in the order named - and while you are in Chicago, if you intend to be a physician, at all, you must make the lectures, at the college, your chief, if not sole object. And yet, if you can have quiet, at night,- and will per=tinaciously avoid all outside influences, - I do not doubt your being able, (by a systematic and orderly disposi=tion of your time) to work on your Tret =ise[double underline] without much prejudice to your medical studies. And it really seems a pity to abandon the work, when half accomplished, and lose this opportunity to secure both money and fame[double underline]. What and these

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then, on the other hand, it can not cost us, much, if any, less than one dollar per day, to keep you in Chicago, - and the purpose, for which you are there, can alone justify the expense, just now, when we are so greatly embar=rassed, if not harrassed for mo=ney.

I would, therefore, counsel thus, attend all the lectures, that you can; read up, when you must, to keep up with the course – so as not to leave any links open, or breaks in the course of demonstrations. But do not attempt to learn every thing[double underline] this winter. Get as much general knowledge as you can – Get fair=ly started off, and now, and leave the minutiae – the theorizing, and all the little technical particulars, until next course.

Do this, and then you may be able to devote a certain number of evenings – each week – to your Natural History subject – Say, Saturday and Sunday, or Friday Saturday and Sunday evenings

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You might devote Satur Friday night, without much, and Saturday and Sunday nights with=out any considerable detriment to your medical studies. But any other time would be sure to interfere, seriously, with any thing like a profitable use of your time and expensive opportunity to get a thorough knowledge of the ground works of your profession. Because you can not readily lay by the subjects of the daily lectures to take up the pen, and work, to advantage, on your Essay, - unless you can have a clear space before you – and that you can have, only, on two nights (and perhaps one day) of the week. and then you could again re=sume the (but slightly broken) thread of your regular daily business, on each Monday morning; and forget your Natural History, in its turn, - to take it up after four or five days, and so on – always provided, your health permits; and you can secure the uninterrupted use of these two or three evenings, per week – But, after all, you may per=haps, finish up the Rodents[double underline] now, and get time allowed you, after the lectures close, to

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to write on the other mammals, in time for winter. I think I will write to Professor Baird or Mr Brown, by and by, & by, and see if some extra time can not be allowed.

I like this paper –

A letter from Mr Lapham – He speaks highly of you, - notices your election as Cor. member of Mass. Nat. His. Society – and expresses himself much delighted with the box on Insects. He has sent his “Catalogue of Ill. Plants” to Col. Stone of Chicago, who is to show it to the Historical Society[double underline], and let them print it, if I dont want it. But I do want it, and wish you to tell Col. Stone so, if you chance to meet him. I would not miss having it for a good deal – By the way, if the Chicago Historical Society has not received a volume of our Transactions, present one in my name – You will find copies in the P. F. Office –

Ask Byrd if my old boots, cap and over-shoes are in the office. it seems they are not at “Auntie’s” – Betts writes that “black & gray ^Fox, Squir=rels, in Michigan ^{invariably store} [illegible] up corn, when they can get it”

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And now, my Dear Son, you are to understand, that worldly old pruden=tial ideas, are at the bottom of my advice to you, in this letter – My feelings and my paternal pride in you[double underline], coun=sel more liberally and hopefully[double underline] – It would grieve me – it would disappoint me, sadly, - to have you abandon the treatise on the mammals of the prairies – for I think there is fame[double underline] in the enterprise. But Bob, will fame “boil the pot” – or keep you dry and warm, with a full purse, and an independent spirit? – Ah, that’s it – Fame is great – Great among the great[double underline] & good[triple underline], and learned – but a good balance with your Banker, is a greater virtue, under all circumstances, and with every class of people, in this practical, every day uneducated[double underline] world of ours. Still, you are young, and you can afford to give a little more time to the ambition of the few - and so, “go ahead” if you wish it

Monday forenoon

I do not remember when, before, I have felt so stupid as these two days. I can not think or write, clearly – Have burned up three letters this morning – not written to suit.

You must say how we are to direct letters to you – whether “care of P. F.” or not – I will soon send check to pay for the dining table &c – Dont want to draw for the money till I know Fisk has paid in – If you happen to pass Emery’s look at their pumps, and ask price &c –

Find out where that Desk (which I bought of Chase, and used at Auntie’s) is to be found – I think I heard that Frank was using it – I will have it brought out home, should there be an opportunity – Now, my good son, make good use of your time – Don’t neglect the lectures, if you have to abandon the Essay – But [illegible] dont abandon it, if you can keep it up, without interfering, or risking your health –

Old Father

Boston Nov. 24th

Robert Kennicott Esq

Dear Sir

I beg to assure you that no apologies are necessary for any application you may be please to make and to ask you not to think to apologise for so doing - I am in your debt and moreover owe you an apology for not having written to you long ago to acknowledge the receipt of the box. Only I have been so pressed for time by private business that I have not even ofered it to see if it was all safe - if you knew me you would not ask a favor [illegible] that I was badly [illegible] for time - I hope in a few days to get a little respite & to be able to write to you more at leisure than I can now do. In answer to your queries I have to

say that we expect no fees from correspondent members other than in their facilities they can send us in specimens, facts, communications and whatever may be of interest to us to receive or know - [pecuni?] ary there is none. Our President Dr Jeffries Wynan is our only member that suggests himself to me as interested in mammals.

I do not wonder you of Northern Illinois who did so splendidly should lament the ignorance and perverseness of Central and Southern Illinois. But is it not far worse for our Winthrops, our [illegible] our Kirtlands and our Everetts, who can enter no real plea and have not even the excuse, poor as it is, of ignorance - to have done no better than the long and [illegible] men you speak of. I could ex cuse them, while I lemented their short sightedness - but more