My dear Henslow.

Very many thanks for your ten notes, and enclosures: I had seen the Paragraph otherwise I should have been much interested in the death of (as he styled himself) “Comte Thierry, King of Nukahiva and Sovereign Chief of New Zealand”² I wonder what has become of his wretched wife. I sincerely hope that your allotments will succeed;³ all that I have read in favour of them sounds most encouraging, and I have never been convinced by what has been written against them. I have bought a Farm in Lincolnshire and when I go there this Autumn, I mean to see what I can do in providing any cottage on my small estate with gardens— It is a hopeless thing to look to but I believe few things would do this Country more good in future ages⁴ than the destruction of primogeniture,—so as to lessen the difference in land wealth & make more small freeholders.— How atrociously unjust are the stamp laws which render it so expensive for the poor man to buy his $\frac{1}{4}$ of an acre,⁵ it makes one’s blood burn with indignation. Have you seen Lyells Travels?⁶ He says the poorer classes in Canada complain of the timber duties! so that our Cottages are badly built under pretence to benefit a few rich merchants really no doubt for our own landowners.

Thanks for the slip about the Crag— I am astonished that stones containing 50–60 per cent of Phosphate of Lime are not most valuable.⁷

A fortnight ago we had born a little boy, our fourth child.—⁸ He is to be called George; & I believe I have pleasant associations with that name from formerly playing with your Boy.—⁹ I hope M^rs. Henslow is better.

Farewell. | C. D.