Darwin Correspondence Project

12 Upper Gower St

Sunday Evening

My dear Henslow

I take opportunity of MrsHenslow being here to write to you, and congratulate you on all your toils in packing up being finished. I think Ramsgate has done MrsHenslow good, though most unfortunately she caught cold & has not been well all this day.— It is very lucky there was no place in the coach tomorrow unoccupied, for I do not think she would have been able to have gone.

I am delighted to hear you have taken some of my plants with you to Hitcham.— I believe you have received a message I sent you saying that Humboldt in a letter to Me expresses at great length his vivid regret that M. Henslow has not been able to describe the species, or even characterize the genera of the very curious collection of plants from Galapagos.— Do think once again of making one paper on the Flora of these islands—like Roxburgh on St. Helena, or Endlicher on Norfolk Isld— I do not think there will often occur opportunities of drawing up a monograph of more interest.— if your descriptions are frittered in different journals, the general character of the Flora never will be known, & foreigners, at least, will not be able to refer to this & that journal for the different species— But you are the best judge.—

I have been lately reading some remarks on the geograph. distrib. of plants & I am very curious to have a paper at some time from you on the general character of the Flora of T. del. Fuego & especially of the Alpine Flora<.> The one point of land, which projects so far into temper<ate> countries ought to be characterized by very peculiar forms in relation to the northern hemisphere.— Robert Brown has a very large & I believe perfect collection from Tierra del Fuego, which I daresay he would allow you to undertake, if you chose, as it has been in his possession about nine years.— I do not believe, anyone has published any general account of the Flora of Patagonia,—small as my collection is,—it gives I am sure a very fair notion of the Flora—& the climate being so peculiar, I cannot fancy anything more remarkable than the contrasts of its Flora with that of Tierra del Fuego, countries so near to each other.— Do think of these points.—

I have written to Dr Colchester & sent him my printed questions.— Dont forget to bear in mind, as you said you would for me, to notice any facts either hostile or corroboratory of my notion of all plants occasionally impregnating each other.— I keep on steadily collecting every sort of fact, which may throw light on the origin & variation of species.—

My wife sends her kind regards to you— we shall always be most happy to see you here, & the oftener the better & we hope some time to accept your kind invitation for Hitcham.

Good Bye | My dear Henslow | Ever yours | Chas. Darwin