468 Hope Street 
Providence 
8 Jan,’09 
I)e ar Hr. Ho b in s on:~ 
Yon have so often, at the meetings of our Visiting 
Cornr.ittee, urged tec to write you if at any time I think you can be 
of any service to re that I am prompted to do so at this time. 
There is a movement oc. foot here to celebrate I'arwin's birthday, 
on the 12th of February I believe, by some appropriate combined 
meeting of city physicians and the biological deportments at the 
University. As I understand the plan at present the principal 
fe>ture is to have speakers address the meeting, one from the 
uolnt of view of the physician, another from the zoological point 
of view,and another from the botanical. I oelieve nr, (of roies- 
sor) Castle of Cambridge has been suggested for the animal side 
of the talk, Dr. keen of v ’hiladek hie. for the medical side, and 
I am asked to see what 1 can do in regard to a botanical speaker. 
I wonder if you can suggest a good speaker that might perhaps 
be obtained for the occasion, one who is not too far i ror. Providence 
to readily reached, and one who in more or less familiar with 
the botanical side of Darwin's work, 
I shall bo very glad to have any helpful suggestions that you 
can offer on the subject. Is ther any one at Harvard or near 
there whom you cSmld suggest? 
Cordially yours, 
