My dear Hooker

Please address enclosed & post.—¹

I have to thank you for two very pleasant notes:² it was very good of you to write from Paris.—³ I fear Naudin has not responded;⁴ but I hope he may experiment, for I clearly see that he trusts too much to resemblance to parents & does not think enough of actual fertility or number of seeds. I hope to Heaven, that he may explain sterility, but do not expect it.—⁵ I am not surprised at all at Decaisne & Naudin thinking little of “Origin”;⁶ there has always appeared to me something antagonistic to a Frenchman in the way in which Englishman writes. On other hand I have just had another letter from A. Decandolle;⁷ he speaks of “us” as believing in mutability in glorious way, & reports that a Count Saperda, who is writing on Fossil plants goes the whole hog.—⁸

What do you think, Bates writes in a P.S. that he is married!⁹

I have just had a letter or rather M.S. with capital drawings by a young civilian at the Cape of Good Hope about the orchids there; with most curious account of their structure;¹⁰ they seem to me more singular creatures than any that I have seen, viz Satyrium, Disperis &c.— My hot-house will soon be ready, & the thought gives me not a little pleasure.¹¹ I shall be most grateful for Nepenthes, or anything experimental:¹² anything ornamental which, however, I shall avoid of course I must not have from Kew— I wish you would remind H. Gower? (your superintendent) that he really ought to try again on several flowers of Victoria Lily own pollen & pollen from distinct plant or distinct flower,—his result was so curious.—¹³

We are all going to London on Tuesday evening for a week, chiefly to see if change will do me good;¹⁴ I hope to read my paper on Linum on the 5^th at Linn. Soc.; but Heaven knows whether I shall be able.—¹⁵ If I do get a bit stronger, I must come & pay you a visit of an hour & see Hot-Houses.—¹⁶

I see it announced that Wellwitschia is actually published!¹⁷

I suppose you saw Haast’s address   it seemed to me very good.— Splendid Glacial action & how wonderful the old flint tools.¹⁸

I am tired—goodnight.— Anhow I hope I shall see you at Linn Soc. for come I will if I can, however bad sickness may come on— goodnight | C. Darwin

Jameson uses well your Himalayan glacial work in his Glen Roy paper.—¹⁹