From Asa Gray   7 March 1872

Dear Darwin

Mr. Packard, one of our best entomologists a most excellent & modest man, has asked to be introduced to you that he may pay his respects.¹

I shy or refuse such applications generally—saying you can rarely see visitors, or callers.

But Packard is “fish to your net”—has his head crammed with facts bearing on derivation—is a disciple of the Hyatt-Cope school, that you may have heard of,—people who have got hold of what they call a law—tho’ I do not see that they contribute any vera causa at all.²

Packard has a bad palate, so can’t be a hard talker. But he speaks quite intelligibly, and is very sensible

If you will turn the world of science upside down, you must expect that people will wish to see you.

I am just getting rid of a troublesome state of throat, that has bothered me much, and is always liable to return.

Mrs. Gray,³ about as usual for health, joins in kind regards to you and yours. | Sincerely yours | A. Gray

The very sad news comes to-day that Mrs. Charles Norton⁴ died at Dresden—8 days after child-birth!