From Adam Sedgwick   31 December 1858

My dear Henslow

Pray source a good set of the seedvessels &c — mentioned in your letter— & add the names, so far as made out, for I know no more of botany than a pig —perhaps not so much; for he knows how to grub his own roots: and Barrett has done little on the way of culling simples yet— I am glad that the Ale came safe at last: & I wanted no such thanks— I only wanted to be sure that it was safe: for more than once my hampers of ale have stuck somewhere on the way. More vexatiously still, a bottle I had directed to my Sister in Yorkshire had been opened, the corkes had been all drawn, & equally replaced after water had been substituted for the Audit. The rogues who drew the corks no doubt got drunk with the ale & had a good laugh at the time they forwarded the water bottles to my Sister— I trust dear Annie is now nearly well— My illness sticks to me as if it never meant to leave me. I have never left my rooms since the examination for Certificates— a task of no small trouble. A diet of arrant slops & a long continued use of sudorifics have certainly mitigated my horrible cough & driven away my headache: but a lingering fever remains & my chest is not all right I am low in spirits as well as in condition My mind will endure no continued thought, & even such a letter as this fatigues me in the writing. So 1858 is very nearly done: & I sometimes feel that I am nearly done; & I am certain that I am old withered & thin to the last degree. Were my God daughter here I should not think of kissing her lest I should give her my cold, & a cold kiss is but a sorry comfort. But I may send my love to her, & to her Sister, & to you all— with a happy new year. So know thy are in a love bundle! May God bless you all! I often hear from Dent— My poor Brother is dying by inches, & one cause of my low spirits is that I can not perform a promise of going down to Dent to spend a week or two in helping to comfort him

Your affectionate friend |A Sedgwick | (turn over)

P.S. Of course I mean t[o] pay for the seeds like a fair man[.] I wish for a good set & t[o] pay well for them.— Who is the hardy lady who does the work?—