From Leonard Jenyns   27 June 1855

My dear Henslow

I have to thank you for the printed sermon received a few days back, as also for the lists of Hitcham Plants & specimens of types, tempting opportunities all, but especially the last, for going to press. I wish it were in my power to give you any assistance towards your school, which seems to be rising into greater importance, & likely to become more useful, under the care of your new teacher; – but you know how slender our means are just now for even providing the necessaries of the household. I doubt also if I can send you anything that would help in the way of your Report on typical specimens of Nat. Hist, which I had quite forgotten, till the arrival of your papers, you had been called upon to prepare; not having paid sufficient attention to any one particular department of Zoology, in its totality, i.e. in respect of all the forms which it embraces, as well foreign as British, – to be any fair judge of those which may be considered most typical.– I had a pleasant week at Oxford, during the Commemoration, – & on the occasion of laying the first stone of the new University Museums, which promise to be of a most comprehensive character, and likely to give a great impulse there to the study of the Natural Sciences. I hope we may soon see something like it rearing its head at Cambridge also, on the site of the old Botanic Gardens. –The most agreeable part of my visit, however, to Oxford was –the seeing of several friends whom I do not often come across, –more especially Sir W & Lady Hooker, & all the family; I was glad to hear from D ^r Hooker that Darwin, now that he [has:JSH] completed his great work on the Cirripeds (& what an elaborate work it is) was about to take up the vexed question of species, with all its collateral heads of inquiry, relating to hybrids & such like perplexing investigations.—May he find a path through what, in the present state of the science of Nat. Hist., seems a labyrinth of doubts & difficulties.

I am sorry that when I went to Cambridge in the Spring, I forgot to take with me the bones from Banwell Caves, for your Ipswich Museum, if worthy of it: but I will take care & keep them for you another time. I had a letter from Harriet this morning who seems enjoying herself at Brighton.—

I added yesterday Fragaria Elatior (undoubtedly wild where I gathered it) to Babington’s Bath Flora: tomorrow our Club excursionize to Long-Leat

Yrs affly | L. Jenyns