My dear Hooker

I was very glad indeed to get your letter, for we had been daily talking about you, & were anxious how your ship fared during the late tremendous gale, which has unroofed all the stacks about here.² You seem to have had a glorious expedition, & I heard a few days ago from Asa Gray that you were at Cambridge, all prosperous & hard at work.—³ It is good news that you have materials for an essay on geographical distribution.⁴

I have passed your kind words on to William about his marriage.⁵ We are all delighted. She is is very pleasant & in all ways an excellent woman, as far as we can see.— The only drawback is that her health is not good. I have rarely seen any woman whom I have liked so much.

You ask about Litchfield: he has been fearfully ill with inflammation of the colon; for some time in extreme danger; but this is now all over, & it is hoped that he may begin his journey home early next morning.—⁶ Poor old Leonard is a cripple: he sprained his knee & has been on the sofa for 5 weeks & may be, as far as we can see, many weeks more with not the least use of his leg.⁷ With crutches he can just get from room to room on the ground floor.

I suppose that you will be tremendously busy for some time to come,— what a lot of jobs you will have to clear off.

I am glad Dyer will soon have a holiday, for he looked thin when I saw him the other day.⁸ His kindness in aiding Frank & me during your absence has been beyond all words: we have various Kew plants here, but I am sorry to say several of them have been so crucified with endless experiments that they have been much injured & are hardly worth returning. Before long we will make out list of what we have got & their state, & then M^r Smith or some one can decide which will be worth returning.⁹ We have been working like slaves, & God only knows whether our results will prove worth the labour.—

I am glad you are back | Your affect | C. Darwin