From Thomas Bell   4 May 1855

My dear Sir

Many thanks for your kind attention to my request — and your invitation to Cambridge — I fear this is wholly out of my power as I have not an hour to spare & have not been even to Selborne since November — I should have very much enjoyed a visit there under your auspices — I fear from your letter that the Authorities are not going much for Natural Science at your University — Can you give me any hints as to desiderata there—or any indication of future improvement? Or any details of increased interest on the part of the students &c?— I am anxious that as far as a voice from the Linnaean Society can avail, it should be heard in the influential quarters— You have probably heard that the Council decided last Tuesday on the publication of enlarged proceedings, to be called (probably) The Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnaean Society— & to be sent gratis & post-free to every fellow, and to be charged to others— The latter impressions to be refined in separate portions of Zoology & Botany if desired— This middle course will I hope nearly satisfy the wishes of all— I could not think it consistent with an honest regard to an implied contract that Fellows should have to pay for any of the Society’s publications. They have paid a large entrance fee, & many contributing a large annual subs. ⁿ — and in the County they have no other recompense for this than the publications of the Soc. ^y. Were any of them to be additionally paid for, I believe we should soon lose half our County members— Whereas by constantly keeping up a communication with them by means of a two-monthly journal brought to their very tables without cost or trouble, I hope we shall keep up their interest and retain the number of our fellows—

Believe me always | sincerely yours | Thomas Bell