From R. T. Lowe   6 May 1829

Madeira

6 May 1829

Dear Henslow

I was informed a few days since by a letter from Graham of the failure of y r kind exertions to procure for me an extension of service, and I w. d not have you think me more tardy in thanking you for them than if their result had been favourable. Feeling therefore well assured of y. r having done every thing that was expedient & that kindness could prompt, I shall summon up my philosophy, & consider my loss in some sort a gain in proving me possessed of so good a friend as yourself.– It seems now probable (that is unless somebody leaves me in the meantime a whacking fortune) that I shall be compelled to have recourse to the funds of the Philos: Soc: to meet the expences of the removal of my Collections destined for that Lady to England. I mean that after having done so, I shall look to them for renumerating the charges of packing Cases, Jars, Spirits &c &c– Indeed in my present circumstances I could not with prudence venture on the charges of such a removal unless with the certain prospect of renumeration for all such expences. You will probably be able to ascertain this point for me, w. ch ascertained, will leave me at far greater liberty in collecting than I conceive myself at present authorized to exercise. A collection of the Fishes, for instance cannot be formed without considerable expence, w. ch I cannot undertake on my own account. Observe I do not request & would not accept anything in the form of a subscribed salary for the purpose of collecting (call it pride if you like), but what I want is a sort of carte blanche to incur a few expences for the Society as well as a prospect of renumeration for what I may incur in transmitting to them my present & future private Collections intended ultimately for their acceptance. It must therefore be clearly understood that any funds raised for this purpose are to be claimed on the ground of promoting the interests of the Cam. Phil. Soc: – not on those of private friendship or well-wishing to myself; for on such I say beforehand I w. d on no account accept them.

I have been working without intermission all Winter at my Fauna & Flora, but matter grows so on my hands God knows when I shall get through with it. Fresh plants turn up every day & often new ones. I have lately rec. d a splendid packet from the Canaries. Tell L. Jenyns that I conclude from his silence after a year or more that the few insects I sent him were beneath his notice & therefore I need not trouble him with more.

With kind remembrances to M rs. H. & all friends

Believe me | y rs ever truly| R.T. Lowe

[P.S.] The only thing I send you this time is a jar of the Spadices with ripe fruit of Cycas revoluta. I am also sending one to Dr. Hooker for publication with a drawing of the plant. It goes by the Brig Comet Capt. Armston. –Agent Owners – Mitchell & Co. 23. Threadneedle Str. t

[page 1] If I am to make a collection of the fishes I must have proper jars & cases from England. A cask will not do here. Too many together soon spoil. And it will be necessary ultimately to place them separately in jars; therefore by far the best plan if the Soc. Will bear the expence w d be to have a sufficient quantity of proper jars sent out by them. At least they might send sufficient to hold the rarer or new species say 30 or 40 good large glass jars of different sizes.

Please cite as “HENSLOW-87,” in Ɛpsilon: The Correspondence of John Stevens Henslow accessed on 28 March 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/henslow/letters/letters_87