To William Whewell   29 December 1842

My dear Whewell,

Though a few acres will be enough for shrubs & herbaceous plants, it would be a thousand pities to deprive us of any portion of the 30, if we should ever contemplate possessing any thing like an arboretum– The advantage of a perfect command of sp. is not likely lightly to be resigned, & unless the rail-road folks are very urgent I should be glad to see them kept out– Whether I have improved the farmers ideas of what are good manners I know not, but I fear the subject would not be generally considered an appropriate appendage to a dinner table, & excusable only in the company to whom I had to address myself.

Ever y ^rs truly | J S Henslow

Kind regards to M ^rs W. I am going over to Bury tomorrow to fetch Leonard home for the holidays –