To Thomas Martin 26 July 1856

My dear Sir

I have only just returned from fetching Mrs H. from London. I had not time before leaving home to write – I see that J. H. Brewer’s work is out – I mentioned my wish to subscribe to it. If he will be so good to forward my copy by post & let me know the expence of work & postage I will send him a P. O. order.

Many thanks for your good address to the Members of the Reigate Mec. Inst– I am glad to see how much we agree, of on the advantages that are likely to accrue from the study of Nat. history – I carried over to Ipswich last Tuesday my head botanist (just 14 yr old) to be examined for a pupil teachership – & when we got there she said she had seen (by the roadside 3 plants she had never found in Hitcham – I told her to stop me as we returned & point them out – which true enough she did, & got out of the chaise & gathered them – & told me their Orders tho’ she was of course ignorant of their names – you have probably seen that I am sending a series of articles to the G.C. on the plan I have pursued in giving our Village Children a little insight into Botany. A friend 8 miles off has taken it up also – & I have proposed that we bring our respective botanists acquainted by an interchange of visits & so have a Village botanical match at each others habitats

Yrs very truly

J. S. Henslow