To George Knights 15 August 1857

My dear Knights,

I have been from home since Tuesday & return this evening. Your Ipswich Club don't seem to be very zealous naturalists or they would find time to make their hay whilst the sun was shining. I had some correspondence with the Railway authorities who agreed to let us go to Norwich at 1/6 per head - but we were overtaken by the Harvest & it is now too late for any arrangements of the sort. I fear the charges on the Rail are too high (low as they are) for our labourers - but I shall endeavour next year, if all be well, to arrange for a Norwich trip. The only chance this year would be for some half doz or dozen of my Botanical Class, if I could get them over to Ipswich pretty early. In such a case what would be the charge to Harwich & back allowing a few hours for Botanizing in the marshes? I write in ignorance of all possibilities but it strikes me not to be among the improbabilities that I might bring a small party over some day for a trip. What hour in the morning does the boat start? I think such village parties as mine could be more certainly managed if a specific sum were [illeg.] for a party not exceeding (x) persons who could then divide the expenses more or less per head according to the whole charges (including provisions). The difficulty with a charge per head, & a guarantee for 200 or so, is that I have to make up all deficiencies where any fail. I went to the Linnean [page missing - letter ends here]