From W. B. Carpenter 3 August 1859

My dear Henslow

I am very glad to hear that everything went off so auspiciously yesterday; and without expecting that your daughter’s future will be all sunshine (which would really be very monotonous) I sincerely hope that her married life may be as happy as I have the pleasure of believing that of her sister to be.— I cannot tell you how pleased I am at the mutual liking that has sprung up between M ^rs Hooker and M ^rs Carpenter, and I hope that in our new home, to which we migrate tomorrow, we shall see more both of her and Hooker, as we shall have a comfortable guest room, which has always been a desideratum with us.

I have duly superintended your Exam. ⁿ this morning, and think it safest to send you the specimens numbered, for fear of a blunder from any ignorance of “common things” in Botany. The Examiners meet this day week (Aug 10) at 2 PM. Perhaps it will be better for you to send up your Honours Paper previously.

I shall be very glad to promote your Son’s plans if I have the opportunity. I gave his programme to Donaldson, who was examining (1 ^st B.A. Class Hon) at the same time, and who hopes to be able to serve him. D. says your son is the best-tempered fellow he ever met. Is there a lady in the household? or is there to be when pupils offer? I think this indispensible to the development of the family feeling, which is the advantage of private education to foster, and which compensates for much that is excellent and invigorating in the Public School system. My own experience would lead me to regard the combination of both plans as having advantages possessed by neither taken alone—

Yours most faithfy | William B. Carpenter