To J. C. Dale 22 September 1832

My dear Dale,

We have been unfortunately prevented from visiting you at the time we proposed & I am now afraid that the remainder of our stay is too short to allow of our employing the two days it wd. take us from what we have still left to do in this neighbourhood. L. Jenyns came here with the intention of staying three weeks & we had planned a visit to Sherbourne when unfortunately he was summoned away by the state of his Mother's health & before he could get home she had died. This event of course has for a time thrown us a little back on our plans. It formed part of my arrangements with my pupils that I should visit the neighbouring parts - I. of Wight - Purbeck - Jersey &c. but the Cholera has prevented us from seeing the latter. We have still to examine the Lias district about Lyme & this with the time necessy. for packing up will not allow us the pleasure we had proposed to ourselves of visiting you next week. I have delayed writing till the last moment under the possibility of finding an opportunity - but now Mrs Henslow is going over to Dorchester on Monday to spend a day or two with some friends & I must stay at home to keep house in her absence. I hope you will be here during the week as I sd. like to see you again before we leave. Can I do anything for you in my way home. I do not go through Lo [page ripped] but as our communication from Cambridge is more direct than yours I can perhaps be of service. Thanks for the plants. The one you wished to have named is a Swiss plant, the Astrantia major. What great success you have had with Insects!

Believe me

Yrs ever sincerely

J. S. Henslow

[J. C. Dale comments: "about a Swiss Plant Astrantia major being found at Enborne Berks by Dr. Shephard"]