New Haven December 9, 1844

My dear sir,

I have yours of Nov. 30^th and am happy to observe that we shall so soon see you here. Your coals will be in good request here for the young men have had very little on that subject. You observe doubtless that they have curtailed the Iguanodon about one half. Owen reached him & D^r Mantell agrees to it.

I shall hope to go & hear you, trusting by that time I shall feel easy to leave M^rs Silliman for an evening. She is now recovering from a dangerous pneumonia & bilious attack but is still confined to her room & her chair & bed alternately. There is however nothing to prevent our giving you a bed & I shall be much gratified if you will come to our house (especially if the Institute have not provided your lodgings) and in any event I could desire it so that we may see as much of you as possible; and our library will be a lounge for you. 

Hoping soon to see you, I will not touch on other topics except to say that Deane has made his amends & it will require no reply: it will go in of course in the January No.