A publication in two quarto volumes of our own, entitled American Literary and Historical Curiosities, had attracted Downing's attention, and he immediately commenced with considerable success the new pursuit of autograph collector; the next and the following letters contain playful allusions to this: - Highland Garden, June 15,1847.

My Dear Friend: I am greatly your debtor for the two fine volumes you have sent me. That on Medical Botany* is very respectable. The Antiquities is quite a gem in its way, and has interested me a great deal - indeed, so much so that I have got about putting together an autograph collection of my own, as I find, on collecting the materials, that I have a very respectable stock to begin with.

Indeed, I send you in the true collector's style, some of my duplicates - embracing autograph letters of Jeremy Bentham, Major Cartwright, General Mina, an autograph of Lady Morgan's, etc. As I know you are a collector, and probably have not these good things, put them under your wing.

* Canon's Medical Botany, which, was published in Philadelphia. - Ed.

In return, send me two or three of the best duplicates you can spare. I imagine you can send me easily one of Mary Howitt, and, possibly, of John Bartram and Franklin. Washington is, I suppose, too scarce to be had. Am I not full of the zeal of collectorslip?

I will notice the Medical Botany in my next number - in which, by the way, you will see an article entitled "Arboricultural Gossip," by J. Jay Smith, that will, I am sure, amuse you - since I have made it from several of your late letters, taking that on Arboretums as the basis, and one or two facts that you told me verbally here last summer. It reads well, and to the point, and will raise the credit of my Journal and benefit the public. Long live the editors!

Yours in haste, but sincerely, A. J. D.

P. S. By the way, what a little cramped autograph of my own is in your quarto I To J. Jay Smith, Esq.

The next letter which we shall copy is particularly characteristic, and contains the allusion to being one of his " parish" with which we opened our editorial career in the Horticulturist in July last.

Highland Gabdbv, Aug. 5,1847.

My Dear Friend: I have been absent from home for some days, and now have the pleasure of sending you a bound copy of my Horticulturist. The "Hints to Young Architects," I told my publisher to send you some time ago, and presume it has reached you before this.

I was very much amused at your letter touching the autographs, which you first thought you would bestow on me, but, upon sober second thought, determined not. Never mind; I will bide my time. By and by, when you are looking over your collection you will, I am sure, see something that you will lay aside for me; upon which (without waiting for the second thought), pray send it off at once!

So you have undertaken a country place! Well, now you are one of my parish, and there is no escape for you; digging, and delving, and planting, and laying out, ad infinitum. Depend upon it, it is about the only rational sort of creation that poor humans can engage in, and provided you do it wisely (which few of us do, indeed), you cannot fail to increase your happiness by it. In the mean time, if any hints of my poor brain can help you, call them out I pray you.

Let me know in your next in what direction is your new home - whether near the Delaware, or the interior? I am curious about all.

The North River, which I chiefly confine my visits to this season, looks finely. There is beauty enough to satisfy a reasonable man.

Sincerely your friend, A. J. DOWNING. To J. Jay Smith, Esq.

Highland Garden, (Without date).

My Dear Friend: I have a very special favor to ask of you, and that in some haste.

You remember paying a visit with me to----------, Esq. He is the best friend I have in the world; well proved, and is one of the most perfect gentlemen, and generous high-minded men living, one, indeed, of Nature's noblemen, as I may most safely say.

He is just about sailing for Europe, with all his family, for a two years' tour, and with Parkomania especially in his mind. There is no man of all my acquaintance so thoroughly prepared to see and enjoy the finest English places. Bare trees are his great hobby.

Now, apropos of all this, I have remembered the interesting accounts of Windsor Park that you gave me in detail, and which yon saw to so much advantage through your friend, Mr. Jesse, who, if I remember rightly, is the Queen's Ranger.

If you feel at liberty to give Mr.---------- a letter recommending him to Mr. Jesse's kind attentions, I know it would gratify him beyond anything that I could possibly do, and it will, I assure you, lay me under lasting obligation. Mr. ---------has a very loyal spirit, and I think Mr. Jesse will have great satisfaction in playing the Cicerone to so great an enjoyer of all that he has to show.

Now, as I know the reluctance of some, persons to give letters, I beg you to act frankly about this, and do not hesitate to decline at once, if you do not see fit to give it. But I am inclined to hope, from your familiar intercourse with Mr. Jesse, that the thing may be accomplished.

You see how frankly I come to you in the hour of need.

Sincerely yours, A. J. DOWNING. To J. Jay Smith, Esq.

Highland Garden, Dec. 29,1847.

My Dear Friend: A happy new year to you I I suppose you are full of plans and projects of country life - for the imagination, I find, is more fertile in winter than in summer, and we fancy a thousand little plans, half of which we are never able to carry out.

I had a letter from a gentleman at the South lately, in which he desired to know where he could get trees of that very fine species " so graphically described" by J. J. S., of Philadelphia, in the Horticulturist ("arboricultural gossip"), the Virgilia lutea? Perhaps some time hence you will give me some more notes and measurements of your remarkable specimens.

I don't know whether the style of house you are building admits of grained wood-work - like oak or black walnut - but if it does, I can tell you of an invention that pleases me, and that will, by its cheapness and effect recommend itself to Americans. This is a liquid wood stain, invented by a man in London, whose address I have. You wash over wood-work made of common pine, and then , varnish it, and it has the effect of fine old oak; that is to say, all the real grain of the wood is preserved and shown, and the same tone of color is given that the fine woods have naturally. I have seen a small church lately where the woodwork (inclnding timber, ceiling, etc.) is all done in this way, and the effect is admirable. The cost of the liquid for this church (seats 200) was twenty shillings I

I am busy with "Downing's New Cottages and Villas," with interiors, fountains, Ac. Have you seen a copy of the colored edition of my Fruits, just published, the plates done in Paris? It is, I think, very handsome. The price, $15, prevents a poor author sending many gift copies! I received a letter from a gentleman in Germany near the Baltic last week, who has my work on Fruits - it has got as far as that - and he considers it so superior to all that he has seen that he wants to translate and publish it in German. It has been, on the whole, the most popular gardener's book ever written. I am now correcting for the eighth edition.

I want you to do me a favor. When I was in Philadelphia, I was so much pleased with a little Italian song which Mrs.------sang, that I bought a copy in Chestnut Street, and now I want another for a friend. The name is "Benedetta te sul Madre," and cost "two levies." When it is convenient, if you will buy it and send it me by mail, consider the money invested at 100 per cent., and oblige, Very cordially, yours, A. J. DOWNING. To J. Jay Smith, Esq.

Downing's Familiar Notes And Letters #1

The pleasure of reading them is dashed with sadness that so accomplished a spirit can no more be seen and heard by those who loved him so well. At his death no man, in his peculiar walk, on this side the Atlantic, gave so much promise of usefulness as he. And there is none who has yet given promise to take fully his place. His genius was a natural one, highly cultivated, and rightly directed. I trust we may ere long discover one on whom his mantle has fallen.