Lost key to chess box; arrival of an autograph book from Bright's; ARW's eyes improving and work begun again on autobiography, thinks it will take a year to write, has reached the age of 21 and sketch of his character at the time; letter from Mr Casey about Edward's college testimonial; Violet enjoying Borth; visit from Sir Thomas Hanbury.

William's lodgings at Saltburn; Hardwicke & Blaber and legal proceedings relating to Dr Scott; surface temperature of Mars; has written to Prof Barrett of Dublin.

Enclosing a paper (not present) on glacial valleys sent by a young man from Middlesborough; death and funeral of Mr Weston; Fred Birch arrived at Minas Geraes; struggling with temperatures and canals of Mars (for Is Mars Habitable?, published Dec 1907), has written to mathematicians Sharpe?, Fisher, Barrett and Poynting on the subject; suffering from asthma, thinks diet the cause; Violet to visit.

An interesting press cutting on Lowell and Mars sent by William; enclosing a cutting (not present) about Kipling; Prof Poynting to reply to Lowell's mathematical paper; ARW's book (presumably Is Mars Habitable?) finished, chapter on temperature of Mars sent to Poynting for comment, MS to go to Macmillan; possibility of mean temperature of planets being affected by rate of rotation, Osmond Fisher's opinion differs from ARW's, Stefan's Law.

Sending William's clothes; MS of Mars book (Is Mars Habitable?) sent to Macmillan's after extensive revision and correction, asks William to read proofs, Prof Poynting to read proofs of new chapter.

Proofs of "Mars" (Is Mars Habitable?), all William's suggestions adopted, Lowell quoted on atmosphere of Mars; Lowell doing a series of popular articles in Century magazine so a "fair stand-up fight" between him and ARW; will now continue with work on "Spruce", (Notes of a Botanist on the Amazon and Andes by Richard Spruce, ed. and condensed by ARW, Dec. 1908) intends to include matter from Spruce articles and reports for Linnean Society, Geographical Society and Blue books and some new letters, cutting out much of the Journal and botanical matter to make the book more readable; supposes they must wait 6 months for the "Widows" [Scottish Widows insurance].

Correspondence with Mr Waugh; [Daily News] Reading (competition); plans to spend £25 payment when Spruce book (Notes of a botanist on the Amazon and Andes, by Richard Spruce, edited and condensed and with a biography by ARW, published Dec 1908), finished by building a long cement windbreak in the garden; an artist, Mr Young, visiting to finish some of Spruce's outline drawings, four new Spruce pictures found, several photographs including native portraits will also illustrate the book, first proofs have arrived.

Method of marking up proof sheets; progress on building of windbreak wall, details of method of construction with ink sketches showing pier construction and position of completed wall in relation to road and kitchen garden.

Sending a copy of the "Life" (My Life, A Record of Events and Opinions, abridged one volume edition), Mr Waugh disappointed at small number taken by booksellers, 2 volume edition (1905) still being sold; invitation from the RI (Royal Institution of Great Britain) to give an evening lecture at the Jubilee of the Origin of Species next January, initially reluctant but now has some new ideas and has accepted provisionally, Crookes (Honorary Secretary) has offered to read on his behalf if necessary.

Doctor's Douglas Wood's report on William's health; sending a cheque; his own health improving; outline of lecture (for the Royal Institution) done, title to be The World of Life: As Visualised and Interpreted by Darwinism; wooden fence almost finished; proofs of index to Spruce book (Notes of a Botanist on the Amazon and Andes by Richard Spruce, ed. and condensed by ARW, Dec. 1908) only just arrived, six weeks after MS sent, so publication of book may be delayed; reading The Yellow Room, in the style of Gaborian, not as good as Sherlock Holmes; has decided O.M. means "Old Man"; sending book [My Life] to Benham today.

Request from Mrs Swinton for full names of William and his sister Violet, Aneurin Williams, barrister and a director of the "Garden City Company" her husband's executor, past correspondence about Mr Swinton's will on behalf of the Land Nationalisation Society, shares for William and Violet; arrival of the (Royal Society) Copley medals, one gold and one silver; letter from Lord Chancellor excusing ARW from personal attendance at the Investiture (of the Order of Merit); his own and William's health; progress of writing lecture (on Darwinism, for the Royal Institution).

Arrival of a cheque for £50 from the Royal Society, a bonus paid to Copley medallists; visit by artist Mr Strang deferred; visit by Mr Rann of Pall Mall Magazine with photographer, interview and display of medals; visit by Lady Wimborne re "Women's Liberal Club", spoke to her about Socialism; letter from H C Legge, secretary to the Order of Merit, re delivery of insignia.

Investiture and receipt of Order of Merit medal from Colonel Legge, describing documents and insignia in detail; conversation with Colonel Legge about his attendance on and drives around the English countryside with the German Emperor, the Emperor's love of England.

Giving the Royal Institution lecture, (for the Jubilee of Origin of Species) much easier than expected, audience of 800 people, resident Prof of Chemistry Sir James Dewar provided cocoa and sandwiches in his rooms afterwards; visit to the Museum (BMNH) to see Diplodocus, butterflies and New Guinea Bird of Paradise; visit by Sir William Preece and his son, discussion about William, his health, suggestion he learn signalling and try to get work in wireless telegraphy.

Sending copy of Pall Mall Magazine containing interview with and photos of ARW; description of Diplodocus skeleton at the Natural History Museum, donated by Carnegie; Birds of Paradise; meeting at NHM with Jordan and Rothschild who had brought some New Guinea butterflies for him to see, invitation from Rothschild to spend a week at Tring, may go in the summer; emergence of three small longicorn beetles from a clump of orchids sent from Buenos Ayres by John Hall, two caught and identified by British Museum as a species of Ibidion not in its collection; capture of a large orange and brown moth or butterfly which Rothschild thinks a Castnia, in the orchid house and a chrysalis on same orchid as the one harbouring the longicorns, has sent moth and chrysalis to Prof Poulton for the Oxford collection, amazement that the same plant should produce both a rare moth and beetle after a year in a greenhouse.

ARW talks of his hopes to work on new edition of Wonderful Century after five weeks of visitors; Carroll's Tangled Tales with amusing mathematical puzzles; mysterious drowning of neighbour Monica Briggs in local pond; "The Grange" not yet sold, some people interested in the "Colony" due to view it.

Discusses William viewing six or seven houses for sale near Tunbridge Wells and elsewhere, with details of locations and names of properties, comments on desirability, likely views, gardens, water supply and adjoining land; enclosing orders to view (not present) and a list of essential requirements (not present); report to be sent promptly so that Ma (William's mother Annie Wallace) may view any suitable.

Writes of William's visit to Silchester; houses for sale; disappointment over Compton house; importance of an attractive view; description of a promising property near Beaconsfield; Carter's price restrictions, possibility of Mr Tebb's investing; returning with notes William's article on Badbury Diggings, if rewritten and photos supplied might suit Pearson or Cassell; Roman Britain, Roman coins.

Asks William to purchase some aluminium sheet suitable for plant labels as ARW's copper ones too thin and brittle; visit by Mr Stead.

Instructions to view "The Grange", Beaconsfield, if possible with his sister Violet; enclosing viewing order, a map and a letter from Mr Gurney (none of these present), with instructions for journey by train or bicycle; price of £30,000 may be too high for Carter but Tebb, Swinton or others may invest.