From Leonard Horner   20 November 1850

My Dear Sir

I have two letters to thank you for, the last received yesterday– I am obliged by your not forgetting to let me have a copy of all your printed communications to your parishioners, for I may learn something applicable elsewhere– It is very annoying to be disturbed by such miserable jealousies, to which I fancy Schoolmistresses are more exposed than would be. I wish you had funds at your disposal to establish a thoroughly good school under a Master who would command respect, such as should be as much a necessary part of every system of parochial training as the Church, & as securely maintained.

I have now had the pleasure of becoming personally acquainted with M ^r Zinoke, who passed a day here yesterday. I like him much; all his views on the subject of education appear to me to be liberal, enlightened, sound & practical, & his frank & cheerful manner & general intelligence are very attractive. I have just read his second pamphlet & like it much. I hope it will get into extensive circulation, & that he himself will attract the notice of those in power, that he may be brought into a wider sphere of usefulness. I had Tufnell & the Lyells to meet him.

Pray thank Mr G. Ransome for his kind invitation to me. I should enjoy exceedingly to be able to accept it, & if it had been for a somewhat later day should have been able to look forward with some certainty to the pleasure. But I am under an engagement to pay a visit about that issue to an old friend in Surrey & hardly expect to be free. I regret the more that the anniversary of your Ipswich Museum is not some days later, for we have a project of a family invasion en masse of Mildenhall at Christmas, from the old Padre down to the post pliocene formation that has just been discovered by the appearance of my first Grandchild a Month ago. But if I can possibly contrive to go I will do so, & should be most glad to witness your inauguration.

I rejoice to hear of your success at Sudbury– such an event as you describe should be noticed in the London Newspapers, as a sign of the times, and as an example of what clergymen may effect, if they were educated as M ^r Zinoke would have them– If I go to Ipswich, M ^r Z. has asked me to take a bed at his house. I should be glad to renew my acquaintanceship with these kind hearted Quakers: I shall not soon forget the scene in M ^r Ransome’s Garden – nor indeed any part of that great day.

Give my kind regards to Mrs Henslow & all around your table & believe me to be

faithfully yours | Leonard Horner