From G. C. Oxenden   26 May 1862

Dear Sir

Each fresh page of the beautiful Book you sent to me does but humble me more & more—supplying, as it does, the true measure of my own ignorance¹

—And you yourself, far-seeing as you are, do you not constantly feel humbled & abashed, before the awful Analogies of Creation?

—Mr Knight (so long President of the Hort: Soc:) told me that he was once speaking to Sir Humphry Davy of our own very narrow insight into the mysteries of Creation—² “Aye (said Davy) it reminds one of the Nursery song

”I, said the Fly,

With my little Eye!—

I used to spend much of my life with Andrew Knight, at Downton Castle—³ he, then an old Man, & I about 18—^{&c &c} & wonderfully he used to amuse & astonish me— In regard to “Sexualism”, I well remember hearing him say once that he had known an instance of a Male Yew Tree going 2 Miles to find a female—

—He once said to me “Mr Oxenden, you are a young Man, & fond of Horticulture— take the White Currant as your Starting Point— keep on breeding from the very largest White Currant you can grow—and in twenty years you will have them as large as Grapes & as sweet”—

I began this experiment—but the accidents of existence cast it aside—

—Do forgive me, in the past, for having often thrust upon you my own most crude views— I see & feel now that the seeing, finding, comparing, such things as meet my bodily Eyes, constitute my “Speciality”—& that I have no business with aught beyond—& for this mere “Eye-knowledge”, strong walking powers & a boundless range of wild country especially adapt me— I will not fail to send you good blossoms of “Lizard Orchis”—nor aught else that you will trust me to get for you—⁴ Can you send me either a coloured Drawing, or a dried specimen, of “Malaxis paludosa”—?⁵ I have discovered the peculiarity which governs the “habitat” of the “Lizard”—

Believe me heartily & truly yours | G. Chichester Oxenden