Creator

John Muir

Creator

John Muir

Recipient

[ Annie Kennedy ] Bidwell

Transcription

Copy
made May 23. 1917

920 Valencia St.
San Francisco,
March 16th 1880,

Dear Mrs Bidwell.

Here are a few bits of botanical odds and ends from Alaska. The little viny twinflowered specimen is the blessed Linnaea that I was telling you about. The others are mostly heathworts- Ledum, Kalmia, huckleberries, and cranberries, etc. which I will name for you when I get time to look over them carefully.
I want to send you a copy of a paper that Gray read for me at a meeting of the American Assoc, on mountain-building, but though I have searched diligently in every conceivable corner have failed to find it. My papers get mixed and scattered on account of having no fixed camp. Here is a copy of an old Overland article, the first of a series of studies some ten or twelve in all, which is the next best thing I have to offer on the subject, and which I hope may help to make plain some points too briefly treated in my lecture. As it is my only copy I shall have to beg you to return it- Keep it half a year or so.
I have accomplished hardly anything as yet in the way of writing. my time has been so much minced and consumed in the visits, and calls, and dinners, of friends I sometimes wish I had remained in the calm wilderness all winter.
Mr Upham is going with his family to Los Angeles, to be gone a month or more. So it is doubtful where I will settle for the few months before setting out on next seasons work.

[Page 2]

Mar. 16, 1880

(2)

Have you seen much of Miss Pelton. I was sending her a package of ferns, and one specimen was left out, which I wish you would hand to her if she is still in Chico.
All the memories of my visit about Chico are delightful, and nothing that I could possibly say here would half express my lively appreciation of your Kindness.
Remember me to your sister when you write, and tell her that I was not conscious of having neglected any of her letters, but that rather I was, in defiance of all epistolary law and usage, ruthlessly pelting her with a half dozen heavy sheets for every one of hers,
I will be glad when myworks, and ways, and good angel, Providence, etc, allow me to once more visit you and the General in your pretty home. Remember those headings I gave you. Consider the lilies, and the Violets also, and Heaven bless you in all the good works you are so heartily and bravely trying to do.

Ever your friend

John Muir.

[illegible]

Location

920 Valencia St., San Francisco, [Calif]

Date Original

1880 Mar 16

Source

Original letter dimensions unknown.

Resource Identifier

muir04_0070-md-1.pdf

File Identifier

Reel 04, Image 0069

Collection Identifier

Online finding aid for the microform version of the John Muir Correspondence http://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/kt0w1031nc

Copyright Statement

The unpublished works of John Muir are copyrighted by the Muir-Hanna Trust. To purchase copies of images and/or obtain permission to publish or exhibit them, click here to view the Holt-Atherton Special Collections policies.

Owning Institution

The Bancroft Library, University of California at Berkeley. Please contact this institution directly to obtain copies of the images or permission to publish or use them beyond educational purposes.

Copyright Holder

Muir-Hanna Trust

Copyright Date

1984

Pages

4 pages

Keywords

Environmentalist, naturalist, travel, conservation, national parks, John Muir, Yosemite, California, history, correspondence, letters

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