To William Hutton 28 April 1840

My dear Sir,

I have just unpacked the two boxes of fossils which arrived on Saturday last, & find them full of capital things. I shall be compelled to lay them on the shelf till my lectures are over - for on Thursday I go to Cambridge to lecture every day for a month. But on my return I will set to work immediately, & if you think it possible, should certainly strive to see the 1st No. out before the meeting of the Association. You have taken for granted a great deal too much of my knowledge of paper making which is of the most general description. The specimens sent are exactly what I wish to have, but if you could possibly procure me the manufactured articles, & any old implements - & account to correspond with the specimens I sd. feel very grateful. I will place an x against such Nos. as I have received, & you will see what are wanting to complete the series & if a little memorandum were furnished for describing what each is, & the manufactured specimen to accompany each I see that by help of Wasp-nests (the oldest paper manufactory) & a few other items I can give them a good lecture. I mean one that will engage their attention.

[Table indicating presence or absence of specimens, table key below]

• Rope papers
• No.1. (= pieces of rope
• - 2. wanting
• - 3. packet containing No.1.A (= clay), 1 B., -3, -4, -5: powdered clays?
• Specimen of paper - marked
• Rope-paper with colouring matter

The person (a farmer & coal merchant) who fetched the boxes from Ipswich was considerably horrified at what he considered a great imposition in the price of carriage. To me it seemed reasonably enough & I should not have complained - but he wished me to say that he inquired of his friends & of a Captain of another Hag & they told him that the charge ought to have been 4/- instead of 10/- for the 2 boxes. He bids me say that if you send any box directed in future to Messrs. Byles, I shall receive them without such expense. I beg to assure you that I am too happy to get them as you may see fit to send them, & should not have thought of mentioning the subject, if my Farmer here had not expressed his wishes that I wd. do so. He was told that C. Page to whom they were consigned always made it a rule to lay it on as he expressed himself whenever he had a box for a gentleman. Pray don't think twice about this - but I have discharged my errand.

Believe me

very truly yrs

J. S. Henslow