JDH informs Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer that Lord Hatherley has found in George Bentham's favour on all points [regarding the amendment of the Linnean Society by-laws]. JDH still hopes [Marcus Manuel] Hartog will accept the post [of Assistant Director, Peradeniya Botanic Garden] in Ceylon [Sri Lanka]. In a post script JDH briefly discusses a recent experiment with carnivorous plants: Nepenthes rafllesiana & phyllamphora & mentions the difficulty of studying Darlingtonia & Cephalotus.

JDH writes to Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer to complain about the Linnean Society, he describes it as having: 'no backbone, only an os sacrum that ought to be kicked'.

JDH writes to Sir William Turner Thiselton--Dyer [WTTD] about a recent stay with General Birch at Stranraer in the company of the Whites[?] & the Hamiltons. He also visited Lord Stair's Pinetum, run by a Mr Fowler, he particularly admired the white Douglas fir & some Pinus nobilis grown from grafts. He observed that Scotch Fir & Spruce won't grow there. He complains about the late train home from Galloway & the loss of their luggage en route to Wilesden via Carlisle. [John] Smith has gone to Cornwall. [Algernon Freeman-] Mitford is coming to stay with JDH at Kew, JDH likes Mitford so far. Russell, the RBG Kew 'orchid man', wants to leave in order to work on orchid greowing on a larger scale. JDH asks WTTD to consult Moore about a replacement at salary of 25 to 28 shillings plus room. JDH complains about the time he has to take correcting Lawson's reviews. JDH has received a proof corrected by WTTD with a passage about pitchers of Nepenthes marked as illegible, JDH does not know where it came from but has corrected it & sent it to the Academy. JDH complains about misprints in some 'copies' sent to Belfast for printing. JDH expects WTTD to see Harvey's Ericeae for Flora of South Africa whilst in Dublin. He apologises that he cannot send back Barkley's[?] bottles as promised. Reports that [Daniel] Oliver has returned from France & [John Gilber] Baker is away. JDH is preparing for some disageeable work with the Trustees of the British Museum regarding the Admiralty [probably in connection with a dispute over the collections from the HMS 'Challenger' expedition]. JDH intends to lay the case before Sir Philip Egerton privately. JDH asks WTTD to return an enclosed letter from Charles Darwin [enclosure not present].

JDH asks Thiselton-Dyer if the proof of his 'address' has been sent to the publisher, Griffith. JDH describes his present location, Alderley Grange in Wotton under Edge, as 'a lovely place'. Whilst there he is working on the Royal Society address & the 'Primer' [refers to the series of 'Science Primer' books published by Macmillan, for which Hooker wrote the volume entitled BOTANY (1876)]. The following week JDH will go to Bewdley, then to stay with [George] Maw at Broseley, Shropshire, before returning to Kew. In a post script JDH adds that he has read & enjoyed CRUISE ON WHEELS [by Charles Allston Collis] & is now reading [George Eliot's] SCENES OF CLERICAL LIFE, the best thing he has read in years, either fact or fiction. He specifically mentions the story JANET'S REPENTANCE.

JDH asks for Thiselton-Dyer's opinion on an enclosed dedication [enclosure not present]. He reports that he is feeling unwell but must send off his letter to the British Museum.

JDH asks Thiselton-Dyer to give his opinion on a letter JDH has drafted to the Trustees of the British Museum, concerning JDH's Antarctic collections. Daniel Oliver has already given his opinion but does not consider JDH's position regarding the Royal Society. A copy of the letter will be sent to the Archbishop of Canterbury [Archibald Tait]. JDH refers to an enclosed magnolia [not present] which Alexander MacCleay calls fuscata but which differs from the plants under that name at RBG Kew.

JDH writes to arrange a time he & Thiselton-Dyer can confer regarding the [proposed Jodrell?] laboratory.

JDH is determined that he & Sir William Thiselton-Dyer will not lose Currey [as a Secretary of the Linnean Society?]. JDH supports Thiselton-Dyer's plans to reform the Linnean Society. JDH will remonstrate Allman for snubbing the Linnean Society by sending his paper to the Royal Society. Thinks they can succeed in having the Council Room turned into a meeting room on a trial basis. JDH reassures Thiselton-Dyer that his sympathies are not opposed to biological botany. He thinks the work that Thiselton-Dyer was doing for him prior to the Cape flora was not advancing Thiselton-Dyer's scientific status or wealth, though it was of great use to JDH. Thiselton-Dyer's work on the Cape flora was to redress this balance, especially as it relates to his personal field of interest, geographic botany & there is an audience for it. If Thiselton-Dyer had expressed a preference for pure physiology over systematic work JDH would have been equally supportive & still urged him to seek work that was useful & paid well. JDH's opinion of the British Association [for the Advancement of Science] is that it has out lived its original purpose & is now in unnecessary competition with other societies. He concedes that [the 44th meeting of the British Association at] Belfast was exceptional as a useful British Association exercise. The Linnean Society is useful to JDH for its resources, he joined it for his own benefit as well as science's & is willing to exert some effort to preserve it, unlike the BA. JDH observes that the biological side of zoology is becoming associated with the Royal Society rather than the Linnean & thought there should be enough papers for both there is also competition from the zoology and microscopical societies. He thinks the latter should be assumed into the Linnean Society but doubts that is practical.

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Encloses a letter [from Huxley about his invitation to lecture at Edinburgh]. Has done his best to dissuade Huxley from accepting the burden.

JDH’s depression in bereavement.