would ask "the laminae of flagstone, the folia of slate, are these strata? Are masses of 400 feet thick strata"? And like him presume not to answer. Indeed Sir I have all along been satisfied that I had no very definite idea of what is meant by the term strata. And it seems to me that the close home questions of Greenough near the close of his first Essay will put almost any one in doubt whether he has any distinct logical idea of the term. Bakewell’s distinctions on the subject which are copied by [illegible] I never yet could make any use of. If I am not mistaken they are built on a particular hypothesis. I shall be sorry if my misuse of the terms occasions a misunderstanding though you mention no difficulty except in the corrections. I believe that in the body of the essay I was more cautious to avoid misapprehension. For the [paper torn] pleased me when writing it and still I am [paper torn] about it & shall be happy to be set right [paper torn] correcting my language the only obligation I have to [paper torn] the trouble it will occasion you. To me it would be a favour. I have laboured under considerable difficulties by having no geological counsel nearer than N. Haven to recur to in cases of difficulty.
I fear no "anticipation" about the Bot. Catalogue. As for myself I felt and still feel indifferent about its insertion in the next No. But I found Dr. Cooley quite anxious to have it forward in season. I suppose he hoped it might be of some advantage to him in Georgia where he has gone seeking his fortune. And it may be he will think I have not done right in mentioning some of the localities of plants in my geology unless the catalogue accompanying it since I was indebted to him for a few of them. But you must consult your convenience about inserting it in the next No. If I have 80 pages and several plates devoted to me I think I ought not to complain.