LITERARY WORK IN DEVONSHIRE. 297 



what work a naturalist could undertake at each season on 

 the shore. These papers were to be illustrated by at least 

 three plates in each number, engraved in black and white 

 in the pages of Good Words, but originally executed in 

 Philip Gosse's most exquisite style, in water-colours. This 

 serial was entitled A Year at the Shore, and the first 

 instalment appeared in the magazine in January, 1864, 

 running through the entire year. These papers were very 

 happily written, quite in the old enchanting style of the 

 Devonshire Coast and The Aquarium, with the freshness of 

 that contented and wholesome period. They were full of 

 practical advice to persons engaged in zoological collec- 

 tion ; and they proved, so he was constantly assured, very 

 stimulating to the readers of the magazine. 



His orchids largely occupied Philip Gosse's spare 

 moments in the course of 1863, and in the autumn he 

 was corresponding a good deal with Charles Darwin, to 

 whom he had communicated in June some observations he 

 had made on the strange and morbid-looking blossoms of 

 the Stanhopea. From this correspondence I select his two 

 earliest letters, and the replies received from the eminent 

 biologist. They will be of interest, perhaps, to others 

 than botanists, and are now for the first time published. 



P. H. Gosse to Charles Darwin. 



"Sandhurst, May 30, 1863. 

 "My dear Sir, 



"Will you kindly vouchsafe me a little word 

 " of help ? With your charming book before me, I have 

 " been trying to fertilize the orchids of my little collec- 

 " tion, as they flower. With some I succeed, with others 

 " there is difficulty. Let me tell you of the present ' fix.' 

 " Stanhopea oculata opened four great blooms on 

 " Thursday ; to-day they begin to flag, and I delay no 



