To William Whewell   28 August 1846

My dear Whewell,

You must have been surprized at my long silence, but the enclosed envelope will explain to you that your letter of the 9 ^th has only reached me today– There being so many Hitchams, Bildestons or Bilstons, & Hadleighs, any letters (without Suffolk appended) directed to me, perform a grand tour before they arrive– I had two last week from Bury (only 13 miles off) which had traveled to Hertfordshire– I am delighted to hear that M ^rs Whewell has profited by her seaside sojourn – & you will be equally pleased (I doubt not) to find that our stay at Aldboro' had so far improved the health of M ^rs Henslow that, she went through to Brighton in one day, without any great fatigue– I left her there 3 weeks ago, & we continue to hear good accounts from her– She is with El. Jenyns – & Mary J. is also staying there– I expect she will remain about 3 weeks longer– I should very much have enjoyed a trip to Lowestoffe, but we are expecting very soon a visit from Miss Hooker, & M ^r Coleman (the American Agriculturist) & I fear this will keep me engaged till quite the end of Sep ^tr. The Girls have been very busy clothing speckies last week for our little annual fête which came off without accident, beyond a few failures, & the conflagration (from windy gusts) & consequent non-ascent of a Balloon– The company not being aware that a Balloon was to ascend, mistook the conflagration for part of the fireworks, & thought it produced a very pretty effect in lighting up the scene! You may rest assured that I shall be very ready to attend to your wishes about your History & will think the matter over as to how I can assist you with suggestions– There has been a good deal done in some parts of Cryptogamic botany of late years by Berkely & others. reducing whole genera of fungi to merely conditional forms of development of particular species– & also the general conditions of the ovule necessary to its fertilization has had light thrown upon it– I fear (indeed I know) that I am not so well qualified as I ought to be to speak authoratively on these matters – but I dare say with a little enquiry on some points of those who are more enlightened, I may be able to help. When I came to reside at Hitcham, I had fancied that I should have more opportunity than ever to devote my time to Botany – but I well remember a remark of Willis – "you will get entangled in other interests, & become less able to pay attention to your Professorship" – & so it has proved– It is now above 3 years & a half since I have been absent from Hitcham on a Sunday – & what with double duty to provide for – ordinary parish duty – justice business – & now & then the necessity of acting as Chaperon to my daughters (M ^rs H. being ill) my time is pretty fully occupied– The girls kept me at a dance till 3 o'Cl. A. M. only 3 nights ago–

Kind regards to M ^rs W. | Ever y ^rs truly | J S Henslow