.ET. 76.] TO J. D. HOOKER. 791 



Cambbidge, January 25, 1887. 



. . . Yes, it has seemed to me clear that you could 

 not cross the Atlantic at present. And so it logically 

 follows that we must. 



I had been coming to this conclusion, and only the 

 day before your letter arrived my good wife and I 

 had put our heads together and concluded that, if 

 nothing occurred meanwhile to prevent, we would 

 cross over, say in April. It is time we set about it, 

 if we are ever to do it ; and several things seem to 

 indicate that this is a more favorable time than we 

 can expect later. 



As this will be " positively Dr. Gray's last appear- 

 ance on your shores," we must make the most of it. 

 Shall we have a Continental jaunt together, or shall 

 you be too much tied to home ? 



Meanwhile I must work hard and steadily. . . . 



As you " weed out " surplus of herbarium Kew, 

 keep them for me. When I come I will take care of 

 them. It is (as usual) good of you to think of us. 

 You have done so for so long a time that it is only 

 " second nature " — very good nature too. 



Williamson, plant-fossil, long ago begged us to 

 come to British Association at Manchester, and be his 

 guests. If I do, what think you of my preparing a 

 paper for Botanical Section ; and will you join me in 

 it ? two venerables — anglice old fogies — on Nomen- 

 clature and Citations. 



There are some points I should like to argue out 

 and explain ; to put on record, though it may be of 

 no use. Not that one wants to get up a discussion in 

 such a body — that would never do. . . . 



