504 'POWER OF MOVEMENT IN PLANTS.' [1878. 



movements of true leaves, for I have pretty well done with 

 cotyledons. . . . 



That was an excellent letter about the Gardens : * I had 

 hoped that the agitation was over. Politicians are a poor 

 truckling lot, for [they] must see the wretched effects of keep- 

 ing the gardens open all day long. 



Your ever troublesome friend, 



Ch. Darwin. 



C. Darwin to W. Thiselton Dyer. 



4 Bryanston St., Portman Square, 

 November 21 [1878]. 



My dear Dyer, — I must thank you for all the wonderful 

 trouble which you have taken about the seeds of Impatiens, 

 and on scores of other occasions. It in truth makes me feel 

 ashamed of myself, and I cannot help thinking : " Oh Lord, 

 when he sees our book he will cry out, is this all for which I 

 have helped so much ! " In seriousness, I hope that we have 

 made out some points, but I fear that we have done very little 

 for the labour which we have expended on our work. We are 

 here for a week for a little rest, which I needed. 



If I remember right, November 30th, is the anniversary at 

 the Royal, and I fear Sir Joseph must be almost at the last 

 gasp. I shall be glad when he is no longer President. 



Yours very sincerely, 



Ch. Darwin. 



[In the spring of the following year, 1879, when he was 

 engaged in putting his results together, he wrote somewhat 

 despondingly to Mr. Dyer : " I am overwhelmed with my 

 notes, and almost too old to undertake the job which I have 

 in hand — i.e., movements of all kinds. Yet it is worse to be 

 idle." 



Later on in the year, when the work was approaching 



* This refers to an attempt to induce the Government to open the 

 Royal Gardens at Kew in the morning. 



