Letter from GEORGE PERKINS MARSH to SPENCER FULLERTON BAIRD, dated December 30, 1847.
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Carlisle
Dear Sir
My impressions, in regard to the McClintock's grammar, are highly favourable, & I will immmediately examine it more in detail, and write a recommendation, if I find it what I now suppose it to be.
I am much gratified to hear of your success in your investigations, and the rather because I
have promised great things of you, and set great value on my prophetical judgment. I am sorry
you have promised Dr Gray your Synonymiks, if, as I suppose,
you have thereby lost the opportunity of giving it to the world through a better channel, but
you are young enough to afford
to lose some of your earlier works. I hope you do not
propose to make it a mere catalogue, & that you will preface it with an exposition of
the principles upon which you hold that generic and specific distinctions ought to be based.
The Smithsonian Regents (before I became a member of the Board) have adopted a plan of operations, which excludes all for some years, but I hope to break it up at the meeting next fall, if not before.
I am sorry I have not a Danish Grammar for you, but the only ones I have are in Danish. I think you told me you had Grenlow. This, though ridiculously bad, will answer well enough for so simple a language. I did not bring [Kröger?] to Washington & remember little of the contents, but I will have it sent, if an opportunity occurs.
I add a word for Mary and am your very sincere friend
George P Marsh
References in this letter:
John McClintock and George Richard Crooks, A first book in Latin containing grammar, exercises & vocabulary. New York, Harper, 1846.
Georges Cuvier, The Animal Kingdom arranged in conformity to its organization. With supplementary additions by Edward Griffith and Edward Pidgeon and notices of new genera and species by John Edward Gray. 16 vols. London: G.B. Whittaker, 1827-1835.
There were fourteen members on the Smithsonian Board of Regents, including the Vice-President of the United States, the Chief Justice, three senators, three members of the House, two residents of Washington, DC, and four from different states. Marsh was appointed to the Board, as one of the congressional representatives, in 1847.