Thanks him for Balanus specimens. Comments on his findings. A large Acasta in the wet state would be valuable. Asks JSB to mention his work to J. T. Quekett at the College of Surgeons.
[Valediction only.] CD note on verso: Athenaeum/48/p. 839 "E. Forbes on genera being continuous in time––good––fact".
Testimonial recommending B. Waterhouse Hawkins [for a teaching post].
Suggests various remedies for toothache.
Seeks excuse from jury duty on grounds of ill health.
Sends small work on foundations of thought, with citation of JH's article in Quarterly [Review]. Note on geometry of planes.
No summary available.
Health of family.
Family will arrive at Norwich on 16 May. Discusses Norfolk strata and Cray fossils.
Thanks for his offer of help in the trusteeship. Also for his pamphlet on income tax. Is about to become involved in Chancery proceedings. Comments on tax.
Glad to lerarn of the Academy's interest in his Cape Observations. Regarding his father. Comments on the 'Equalizations of stars.' [Written on an experimental leaf photographic plate.]
JH learned from daughters that JH and MBH must appear in drawing room for birthday celebration after girls return from Ball.
Is glad to see that P[eter] S[tewart]'s prospects have improved [see JH's 1847-10-10]; JH promises MH a Daguerreotype, and comments on family activities.
Asks RS to summarize T. G. Taylor's contributions to astronomy. Hopes to assist Taylor's widow and family.
JDH describes arrival at Point de Galle 31 Dec. Compares Cape Comorin, Cape of Good Hope & Cape Horn. Met by [George] Gardner [GG] with invitation from Lord Torrington to visit Candy [Kandy] but no time. Describes native peoples. Notes Thespesia populnea, Jack & Mango trees, & valuable timbers. Walked wooded lanes with GG, reminded of Amsterdam & Lyden. Showed GG home similar to Hartecamp, Linnaeus’ residence. Lists plant species in damp, very wet & dryer areas. Names fern species & common weeds, tropical roadside genera & palms. Discusses useful plants; Sonneratia acida wood for boxes, Terminalia catappa embryo eaten for dessert, Ficus demonum [F. daemonum] leaves to polish wood, & Artocarpus pubescens. Lists shrubs & small trees. Few parasites & epiphytes. Widespread Passiflora foetida introduced 1824, Bryophyllum & Allamanda cathartica. Discusses relationship between phosphorescent insects & humidity observed in Madras [Chennai], Calcutta [Kolkata], Behar, Birbhoom, Shahabad, Mizrapore & Darjeeling. Mosses fairly represented, algae very rare, lichens abundant. Bid farewell to Matilda. JDH uncertain he will visit Ceylon [Sri Lanka] again. Collected Trimeriza. Visited house with beautiful carved curiosities & jewels. Reminded of Professor Miller of Cambridge. Arrived Madras with GG, 5 Jan. Describes Lord Dalhousie’s military reception & vast number of natives in welcoming party. Met various knowledgeable people while staying with Lord Tweeddale. Walter Elliot directed him to Buddhist antiquities. Discusses winged lion familiar from Syrian marbles & sketches by Walter Forbes. [Brian Houghton] Hodgson says they are evidence of Asian origin of the Buddhist religion. In another letter JDH will show how the physical geography has indicated the positions of the tribes of people as well as plants, & has regulated their migration. Spent a long time with WE at botanic garden under care of Captain Worcester'. Describes garden.
Rough sketch map drawn in pencil and ink. Page is titled 'Ideal charts of position of Mts' [Mountains]. It shows the relative positions of Thibet [Tibet], Nepaul [Nepal], Sikkim, Bootan [Bhutan] & Darjeeling with the position of Kinchinjunga [Kanchenjunga] marked & labelled as 28178 feet in elevation, Chomalari [Chomolahari] is labelled as 24000 feet & nearby the town Phari [Pagri] is also marked. Chola Mt, Singalelah [Singalilia], Great Rungeet River, Sinchal [Senchal], Darjeeling, Teesta River, Junnoo [Jannu] & Kursiong[?] are also plotted on the map.
Coloured illustrations of Hodgsonia niterodita with brief description of the species' characteristics. The Lepcha name is given as Kat'hion pot & the Bhotea name as Tasy. The Kernels are eaten raw but JDH does not like the taste. H. niterodita grows in the inner & outer ranges of the Sikkim Himalayas from 300 feet at the foot of the hills to 5000 feet. It is a climber which grows over tree branches creating screens of green foliage. It flowers in May & June. The stems are no thicker than a finger a bleed when cut, the juice is tasteless.
Has he made a decision regarding writing a review for the second volume of Kosmos? Longmans is contemplating a second edition. George Peacock is much better.
Is ill and cannot write instructions. Directs JH to instructions written earlier by the Council of the Geological Society.
Sends JH a copy of his paper on the satellites of Uranus, including comments on the work of JH's father, William. OS is amazed at what JH has accomplished in the last several years.