Publication InformationBurlington June 6 1847

Carlisle

Page 1

My dear Mrs Baird

I have been almost constantly in motion since the adjornment of Congress, and it is but a week since I returned with Mrs Marsh from my last excursion, and we are hardly yet settled.

Our present expectation is that we shall be at home from the last of July to the 20' of August, and of course at commencement, and in that case it will give us sincere pleasure to renew our friendly intercourse with you, and make the acquaintance of your husband, if indeed we may not claim to know him already. It is however possible, that we may be absent during the months of July and August, but if so Mr Baird will find my Library at his command,

though I fear it will offer little to aid him in his favorite pursuits. Upon looking over my Northern books I was disappointed to find less than I had supposed on the subject of Northern ornithology, (so little indeed that I thought it hardly worth while to put Mr B. to the expense of carriage & several bulky tomes, which would scarcely contain the two grains of wheat he seeks in the two bushels of chaff though I have several works on other branches of Natural History in the Scandinavian tongues, and some of a more general character, embracing some thing of the ornithological learning. Among these is the transactions of the Royal Swedish Acad. of Science from 1737 to 1837 in 100 vols, which contains a good deal of Natural History, as well as other matter. If I am at home as I hope to be, during your visit, I shall be happy to aid Mr B. in the way of translation, if he has not mastered the Northern languages.

Mrs Marsh joins me in the kindest regards to our family & yours

I am very sincerely yoursGeo. P. Marsh