My dear Hooker

I have two letters from you full of interesting news to me.—² In your former one you tell me about H. C. Watson: I never heard anything like it; why the man must be insane with ill-humour.—³ Pray tell me when the article appears, for it will be a literary curiosity.⁴

I know nothing of Scott’s fitness for your most arduous post of head-man;⁵ what a responsibility you must feel on subject.— If you read Scot’s paper & can say a word of praise or criticism do let me hear, for I am sure he w^d. value your praise especially.—⁶ I am delighted about making him an associate;⁷ I have no doubt it will stimulate him to good work.—

I sh^d. like to know, if you can remember, who wrote in G. Chron. the nice notice of poor Boott.—⁸ Who reviewed Lyell in Quarterly;⁹ I ask the latter out of mere idle curiosity.—

In your last you allude to Frankland’s paper on Glaciers; I had intended exploding on same subject: it is absurd & I am the more bound to say so, as a former warm sea would never suit the Algæ, Crustacean & Fish common to the N. & S.¹⁰ It amused me to see how coolly he assumed that whole world was cooler during glacial period. I wish I had published my evidence in full on this head.—¹¹

I have sent you scraps, asking about seeds of climbing Fumariæ &c—¹² I wish I could get seed of such Fumariæ.— I fear you greatly overrate the interest of my facts on climbing. Pray thank Bentham sincerely for wishing to notice anything of mine; but I could not draw up a paper to save my life.—¹³ You ask about my sickness—it rarely comes on till 2–3 hours after eating, so that I seldom throw up food, only acid & morbid secretion; otherwise I sh^d. have been dead, for during more than a month I vomited after every meal & several times most nights.—¹⁴ On my well days I am certainly stronger— You may know how often I feel well, for I always then give myself the treat of writing to you.—

A. DeCandolle sent me the pamphlet on sexes, which stretches my belief to cracking point.—¹⁵ I do not believe in Falconer’s lakes.—¹⁶ Crügers letter has stirred me up about Orchids, & I skimmed over my Chapt^r. on Catesidæ, & I can now look impartially at the case, & I declare the structure & action of Catasetum, is, as it seems to me, about the oddest case in vegetable Kingdom.—¹⁷ If Cryptopodium ever flowers at Kew, I sh^d. much like to see it; I have 2 plants, but they will not flower; I have seen all other genera of Catasetidæ.— I enclose scraps,¹⁸ which will not cause much trouble to answer, about climbers, & a few more requests; pray observe you owe this to yourself, as your interest on subject has stimulated me.—¹⁹

Since first part of letter was written, I have received seeds of Corydalis &c—²⁰ Most cordial thanks.— I am tired.—

Yours affectionately | C. Darwin

Feb. 22^d