Regrets that state of his health forces him to resign as one of the Secretaries of the Society.

Feels he has no choice but to comply with the request of Council that he remain in office. Is reluctant to do so as his health has caused him to miss meetings and he has never once attended without suffering the next day. Cannot hold office beyond next anniversary meeting.

Comments on CD’s paper on South American volcanoes [Trans. of the Geol. Soc. of London, 2d ser., pt 3, 5 (1840): 601–31]. Jets of steam or flame issuing from the side of a hill in Glen Almond.

An amusing description of his railway journey to Shrewsbury.

Health is improved, but would do anything to get strong again. Is consulting his father; will return to London soon to see B. W. Hawkins.

Will send MS [of Fish, no. 2] to the printer, and be there when LJ comes.

Thanks CD for a copy of his Journal of researches which is "not second in interest and instruction to any work of the kind I have ever read".

Acknowledges TW’s letter supplying him with William Kemp’s address.

Thanks CD for information about Captain Tillard’s account of the volcanic eruption in the Azores in 1811.

CD has read WK’s abstract in the Scotsman, 15 February 1840, p. 3, and asks for further details.

Gives CD the results of some calculations for "dip" over different distances, as requested.

Informs correspondent that he wrote to William Walton all that he knew about the guanaco.

Present state of his health prevents his acceptance of invitation to attend the meeting of the Society.

Has much pleasure "in accepting the honour of being proposed as a member of the Council of the Geographical Society".

Encloses a copy of his Glen Roy paper. Asks for more details of Kemp’s work on the terraces of the Eildon hills.

The fourth number of part one of the Zoology has now been published. The Smith, Elder & Co. account is submitted.

Asks if he can bring his guests, J. C. L. and Mme [Simonde de] Sismondi and [Fanny] Allen, to CB’s parties.

Can give no information on the separation of the sexes in the guanaco.

Writes to find whether the date of the event [JMH’s marriage?] has been fixed.

Has been unwell and does not yet feel up to work.

Family news.

CD’s health is improving, but he has scarcely put pen to paper in the last half-year, and everything in the publishing line is going backwards.

Describes an orange tree with curious "horned" fruit; sends specimen. Asks if the horns represent "metamorphoses of some organ into the fruit orange".

Reference to W. Smellie’s Natural history [1791] requested by CD.