I recieved some time ago from M. Thouin, Director of the Botanical or King’s garden at Paris, a box containing an assortment of seeds, Non-American, and therefore presumably acceptable to the American botanist. finding it more and more necessary to abridge the catalogue of my cares, this is among [that?] which I have struck from it. I have therefore this day sent the1 box to Richmond to the care of Capt Peyton of that place, [to] be forwarded to you for the use of the Botanical [ga]rd[en of] N. York, to which I presume the assortment may be ac[ceptab]le, for I have not opened it nor do I know it’s particular [conten]ts—I am happy in this disposition of it to fulfill the [. . .] intentions of the donor, and to make it useful to y[ou]r institution, and pray you to accept the assurance of my great esteem and respect.