My dear Hooker

Your most kind, affectionate letter has more than pleased me, has charmed me.— Your splendid poetry has given us a good laugh.— What a plucky man you are to attack those awful beings, the Lords of the Treasury & to have conquered them.² It is grand. I rejoice over your ex-presidentship, for I have long thought that you were working much too hard.—³

Very many thanks for seeds & plants, but I hope the latter will not be despatched until this horrid frost is over, which interferes terribly with our work—⁴

Pray thank Dyer⁵ very much for all his aid.— I have Dutrochet’s collected works in 3 or 4 big volumes, & I daresay we shall find there his paper about Viscum.⁶ As soon as ever frost goes & we can get good temperature in the house, we shall begin on the seeds, & we think we see our way to some interesting results— But God knows whether they will prove so; for according to my experience, everything generally happens exactly contrary to what might rationally have been expected.

I cannot help hoping that you take too low a view about the Government Grant: anyhow that to Parker has been a right good & just one.—⁷

Ever yours affectionately | Ch. Darwin