From Hubert Airy   3 January 1873

My dear Sir

My paper “On Leaf-arrangement” is in the hands of the copyist, and I hope shortly to be able to offer it to the Royal Society. I have asked my Father to “communicate” it, but he is doubtful if the President can do so— If his doubt continues, I hope you will let me make the same request of you, for no other Fellow of the Society knows the tenor of the paper—¹

Will you kindly give me permission to use the following words in a note in the course of my paper—? Speaking of the arrangement assumed by a lot of marbles or bullets pushed up the throat of an inverted glass flask, I say “This illustration gains interest from a MS. note of Charles Darwin (dated June 11, 1863.) which the author kindly permits me to use:— Speaking of variation in the leaf-order of Euphorbia amygdaloides, he says ‘Now I can no more believe there is special law than for marbles shaking together, standing in intervals on others so as to pack closest!’.”²

Pray forgive me for presuming to write the words without first asking leave—, but I should be loth to lose them now.

I intend to have some big models and diagrams to illustrate the paper, and shall have great satisfaction when I can send you a copy of this treatise which you have helped through the bud-stage (in which the ideas assume their characteristic order).³

Allow me to offer the New Years compliments to yourself & M^rs. Darwin and your family, and believe me, with great respect | Yours very sincerely | Hubert Airy

Charles Darwin Esq^re. M.A. | F.R.S. | Down, Kent.