From H. T. Stainton   24 December 1856

My dear Sir

I am extremely obliged to you for sending me M ^r Kirby’s letter which I now return— Such letters are a great encouragement, & as it was mainly the wood cuts that produced the “glistening eyes”, there is no pampering to the author’s vanity.

The interchange of Village School civilities strikes us as a very interesting episode in your educational Schemes.

By the way I had a letter to day from Canon Mosely (now of Olveston nr Bristol) who thus writes

“I have always heard of opinions that Natural History was especially adapted to the purposes of Elementary Education & that in rural districts nothing could be easier to a teacher who was himself competently instructed in it, than to make “observers” of the children of his School[.] The success with which Professor Henslow has done this in respect to Botany in the village of which he is the Rector is one of the most interesting facts known to me in connection with recent efforts for the improvement of elementary education”

Mosely was Professor of Natural Philosophy (Mechanics &c) when I was at King’s College London & is no Naturalist at all—hence such an opinion from one beyond the circle of Naturalists is of more weight.

I often have Wollaston here & he has often talked to me of his visit to you last Autumn, & of the pleasure he derived from it.

Wollaston strikes me among other Entomologists “velut inter ignes luna minores.” He is so truly philosophical & so free from selfishness & vanity.

Believe me, my dear |Sir yours very truly | H. J. Stainton