468 Hope street 
Providence 
8 Jan.’09 
Pear Pr, Po inson:- 
You have so often, at the meetings of pur Visiting 
Committee, urged me to write you if'at any time I think you can be 
of any service to me that I am prompted to do so at this time. 
there is a movement on foot he 1 e to celebrate Darwin's birthday, 
on the 12th of February I believe, by some appropriate combined 
meeting of city physicians end the biological departments at the 
University. As I understand the plan at present the principal 
g «P fc] fci »m tl 
point .of view of the physician, another from the zoological point 
botanical,. r. ( o*„ 
sor) Castle of Cambridge has been suggested for the animal side 
of the tall:, Pr. *.oen of Philadelphia for the medical side, -and 
I am ashed to see what I can do in regard to a botanical spears r. 
I wonder if you can sugwest a good speaker who might perhaps 
'be obtained for the occasion, one who is not too far from "Providence 
to/yheMily reached, ! it >he 5 3 o i mold oa il i ■ i, 1 th 
the botanical side of Darwin's work. 
I shall be very glad to have any helpful suggestions that you 
off'.i- on tlie subject. Is there any one at Harvard or near 
there whom you pluld suggest? 
Cordially yours, 
