Can Alphonse de Candolle see CD?

Asa Gray at Kew; will meet JDH in Italy in December.

Praise for Movement in plants, lately arrived.

Praise for Wallace’s Island life

and astonishment that he could be a spiritualist.

Differs with Wallace on age of SW. Australian flora. JDH ascribes its peculiarities to isolation by an inland sea.

Admires Wallace’s Island life.

Criticises: 1. His view of similar plants on distant mountains – CD prefers previous low-land connections to Wallace’s summit–summit dispersal;

2. Source of warmth for ancient Arctic climate;

3. Origin of S. Australian flora.

CD’s favourite cases in Movement in plants.

Huxley has persuaded JDH that the Wallace memorial may not be hopeless; JDH still has misgivings about Wallace’s spiritualism but will follow CD’s and Huxley’s decision.

Wants to see Frank become F.R.S. before he dies.

Pities Wallace and wants a pension for him very much.

Quality of Frank’s work merits F.R.S., but quantity could defer speedy election. Will advise best strategy.

Responds, with some embarrassment, to JDH’s caution on Frank’s F.R.S. prospects.

Wants to propose Frank for F.R.S. now, with election in 1882.

Thanks for agreeing to propose Frank as F.R.S.

Would have enjoyed discussing Island life.

On Wallace’s pension and Frank’s F.R.S.

Asks JDH to read the enclosed Memorial, sign it, and send it to T. H. Huxley.

Letter of introduction for V. O. Kovalevsky.

The debt of plant geography to voyages may be JDH’s topic at BAAS meeting [at Swansea].

Photographs from New Zealand forwarded.

Island life continues to stimulate: Wallace ignores effects of glaciers on alpine flora and generally exaggerates those of débâcles and wind dispersal. CD encourages JDH to prepare a geographical address including history of geographical distribution.

Has struggled for months with complexity of structure and distribution of palms for Genera plantarum.

CD complains of discomfort, but has not the strength for a project that would let him forget it.

At 63 JDH still works hard to support his family. Many friends have died. Memories of times past spent with CD lift his pessimism.

Cheered by JDH’s friendly words.

Wishes he could help JDH with geographical distribution, but the subject has gone out of his mind.

Outlines address to York BAAS meeting on history of geographical distribution. Organising theme: advancement in this science based on ideas enunciated by scientific voyagers. Asks CD’s advice.

Responds to JDH’s outline history of plant geography.

Considers Humboldt the "greatest scientific traveller who ever lived".

Discusses the origin and rapid radiation of angiosperms in Cretaceous period.

Comments on importance of work of Alphonse de Candolle, Saporta, Axel Blytt.