From Leonard Horner   15 November 1856

My Dear Henslow

Your plan of illuminating programmes of Lectures is quite novel, & a most excellent idea. I hope it will be made extensively known, so that it may be followed. It cannot fail to make an impression on many in every audience. There has been much talk lately about the measures by which science can be made to be more generally appreciated. I see no way so likely as the establishment in provincial towns of regular teachers, or professors if you will, thoroughly well educated men, whose lecture rooms, or rather schools, shall be open at such prices as the artisans & middle ranks can afford to pay, & at such hours as they can afford. I fear that we are very far from this, but I think we are on the way. Libraries & Museums must of course be a part of the system.

I am glad that there is a chance of Bunbury giving a lecture at Ipswich; he has been very successful in all he has hitherto given, and it does him good. I wish that I could help you in your gathering for your lecture on the Paper Manufacture. After my daughter Joanna had read your Letter she brought me to send to you the figured paper of which I inclose a sheet, in case you may not have seen it. When are you to give the Lecture? I know Cowan M.P. for Edinburgh who is a very extensive manufacturer of Paper & would write to him if you will tell me what I ought to ask for— Longman the Bookseller has a brother who is a very extensive paper maker, & I would speak to him also—

You may not have heard of the great sorrow we have been in for the last three months by the painful illness of M ^rs Horner. She was seized suddenly while we were in the Harz Mountains with an internal complaint, on the 18 ^th of August, & has been under Medical treatment ever since. She is at present better, & we cherish the hope that she is to be restored to her former health, but I fear it will be long before we have the happiness of seeing that day.

Give our kind regards to M ^rs Henslow, & believe me ever

faithfully your’s| Leonard Horner