To Thomas Martin 10 November 1859

My dear Sir,

A few well wishers to the Ipswich Museum have determined to have a portrait of the indefatigable Mr. G. Ransome in lithograph by Maguire – & he (the artist) has succeeded to perfection – Mr Lovell Reeve has undertaken to issue copies to subscribers of [illeg.] & the surplus to be handed over to a Museum which is so well deserving of all encouragement – I have thought that possibly you might like to become a subscriber – but I am not well aware how far you are acquainted with the very great merit of Mr R.

I have just been to look at our allotment land under process of draining previous to being parcelled out – & am glad to find the job ably executed & very nearly finished – I was at Ipswich on Thursday giving them a lecture & was glad to find Mr Ransome looking well again – for he had been very seriously out of sorts from over-work

Believe me

Very truly yours

J. S. Henslow