Has broken up school a few days early to avoid danger. Hopes CD’s son is nearly recovered.

Sends sermon he preached at the BAAS Nottingham meeting ["The continuity of the schemes of nature and revelation" (1866)], in which he disagrees with CD on the gradual genesis of the human eye by natural selection.

Responds to CP’s sermon. Corrects CP’s confusion of what CD said about eyes of the Articulata with human eye,

and questions applicability of CP’s mathematical arguments about length of geological time needed for evolution.

Agrees he was foolish about the Wealden, now struck from later editions [Origin, pp. 285–7].

Congratulations on success of CD’s son [George].

No summary available.

Inability of JH's son [William] to pass Greek. Concerned that this may delay [William's] entry into Haileybury College. Notes similar inability with languages in JH's other two sons.

JH is busy correcting first proofs of pages on double stars. Thanks for binding JH's star [allineations?]. CP's suggestion [see CP's 1867-3-27] to JH's son Alexander, to collect and edit William Herschel's papers, entails too much work for one editor. JH dreads thought of such work. Doubts CP's claim that WH observed fixed star in Corona.

Informal request for JH to write biography of W. R. Dawes for R.A.S. Recent marriages in CP's family.

Thanks CP and R.A.S. Council for funds to help with JH's catalogue of William Herschel's double stars. Alexander Herschel will begin work soon on the project.

Searches for asteroids. Measures double stars and variables; Alexander Herschel assists. Asks JH's opinion of parallax measuring methods. R.S.L. funds offered to M. J. Johnson's family in his memory.

Asks if JH anticipated the results of W. L. Newman's work on lens curvature.

Informs JH, Charles Babbage, and James South that they are the surviving original members of the R.A S. Requests JH write an account of the R.A.S.'s founding. Discusses the evidence of the 'personal will' of God in creation.

Solar spectrum observations of John Herschel (son of JH) may have produced detection of the photosphere and corona at a time other than a total solar eclipse.

Requests JH's reflections on the deceased Wilhelm Struve. Discusses making of telescope object glass. Continues work on the optical tables.

JH to visit CP's house. CP suggests they both visit J. P. Gassiot, where they might also meet with Michael Faraday. Asks JH if there are experiments he would like to see during visit. Reports observing Fraunhofer lines through a prism.

Warren de La Rue observes 'willow leaves' [mottling on solar surface]. Diagonal solar eyepiece works with great success. Praises de La Rue's work as having astounding accuracy.

Expresses grave concern at interest in ideas of table turning among many of the boys at Clapham school. Writes of importance of the education of the next generation. Reiterates his claim that all force is associated with will.

Receives object glass from Munich for double star observations.

Praises JH's Iliad. Asks R.S.L. for funds to cover expenses incurred by spherical observations. Details information to be included in optical tables.

Suggests remedy for bronchitis problem in JH family. Young John Herschel's work on nebulae pleases CP. Comments on William Huggins's work on solar spectra.