To William Barnard Clarke 30 December 1850

My dear Sir

Copy of a letter from Profr Henslow to Dr W B Clarke Dec 30 1855

After having sent in your resignation I had hoped that you would not again have recurred to the very unpleasant subject of your former communication, as you ask me for my reasons for supposing your judgement had been warped when you drew up the statement you sent me. I have no objection to state them, it is a well known adage that

Those who in quarrels interpose

Must often wipe a bloody nose

and I had no desire to interfere between yourself and the Committee, but your very startling report of the Museum irregularities would have made silence on my part criminal, I therefore took the earliest opportunity of seeking information on the subject of your charges. From reference to the minutes of the Committee, from enquiring of parties named by you, and from the unanimous assertions of the Committee I became perfectly satisfied that you had suffered your imagination to get the better of your judgement and I believed and hoped I had ascribed this to a very ordinary cause, viz. overexcitement of some sort. As you assure me I have been mistaken, I can only apologise for having so freely expressed myself and trust you will excuse me. I handed over your resignation to the Chairman of the Committee, but as this was an act which preceeded my election to the office of President I must absolutely decline interfering any further in matters in which I have no concern.

I shall do my best to assist the Committee in putting the Museum into good working condition and hope soon to meet the Working Classes and consult with them the best mode of securing order on free nights. I never heard the Comtee object to any of your scientific arrangements in the Museum: but I must add I totally disagree with you in your distaste for the beautiful case of Carnivora. I have spoken to Owen and other eminent naturalists on the subject and they have all agreed with me in thinking such an appendage to a public Museum well calculated to inspire a taste for Natural History. I left your statement in the hands of the Committee and recommended them to insert on the blank pages (opposite the several changes) such comments as they thought fit. If it should become necessary to take further notice of the subject, the whole might then be printed and everyone be enabled to judge for himself, how far your facts bear out the conclusion at which you have arrived. I shall now request the Committee to enter a copy of this letter on their minutes as a sort of protest on my part against being called upon any further in this matter. Whatever complaints may in future be brought before us I shall be prepared to attend to, and to investigate.

Believe me very truly yours

J. S. Henslow