Forwards an enclosure for CD, at Archdeacon John Sinclair’s request [extract from J. Sinclair’s Life and works of Sir John Sinclair (1837) 2: 83–5], showing how Dr Erasmus Darwin anticipated Justus von Liebig [in recognising the importance of phosphorus-rich manures].
Sends an allotment of shares which he presumes are Emma’s.
Sends a "Lanc & York" [railway share?].
John Brent [book?] has come, and he will send it.
Hopes CD will visit again.
Lyell calculates enviously that CD can do more work than any of the philosophers.
More suggestions for the laboratory, including some experiments.
Suggests two ways of financing what Susan will owe Catherine’s estate.
Division of Catherine’s estate.
Arrangements for EAD’s will.
Wishes CD would pay him another visit.
Has been offered proof impressions of Maguire’s portrait of CD.
Sorry to hear of CD’s "heap of maladies".
Georgina [Tollet?] wants to see the review in the Quarterly Journal of Science [3 (1866): 151–76].
Would CD like to have Susan’s Indian chessmen?
EAD should settle something about the house but has no power without consent of all parties.
Caroline looks worn – it has been a most painful time.
Disposal of Susan’s effects.
Frank and Henry [Parker] are executors.
EAD is bringing away a large packet of CD’s letters from abroad.
Disposal of Susan’s effects. Legacies to CD’s children. EAD has taken the letters and papers and asked Henry [Parker] to forward the George Richmond pictures of CD and Emma.
Caroline looks "miserably ill".
Has found nice rooms in [Christ’s] College, which he has furnished with some very good prints. Lives almost entirely with W. D. Fox and entomology.
News of John Price, B. H. Kennedy, and Charles Whitley. Fanny Owen is as charming as ever.
Is sending a copy of [John] Shaw’s book, which Lady Bell says is based on Charles Bell’s papers [possibly C. Bell, A treatise on diseases of the urethra, 3d ed. with notes by John Shaw (1822)].
Wynne [gardener] suggests he should be paid from the money from the sale of the Mount, but EAD suggests an annual subscription instead.
He has promised Mark [coachman to R. W. Darwin and Susan] that CD will continue the payment of £20 a year after EAD’s death; the house is rent free.
At the request of his sister, Marion Bell, he sends a copy of his essay on the nervous system. It contains a view of the development of the animal kingdom in illustration of Charles Bell’s classification of the nerves. Human powers are held to be more dependent upon the structure of the mouth than that of the hand.
C[harles?] P[arker?] says he has made a "fearful mistake", and the marriage cannot be; EAD hopes to come to CD next week.
Discusses plans for CD to visit Cambridge.
J. J. Sylvester reports George’s fellowship "the most enviable position on earth".
Charles [Parker?] "appears to be ruined".
