Dear Darwin

I am going to North Wales with Huxley on Thursday— will you lend me the Duke’s Reign of Law: which I want to understand if I can, & would take with me.—¹

Thanks for your note, I get more & more unhappy about the address as the time draws on.² Nothing on earth would induce me to do a thing so damned indelicate as to force such a position on an unwilling soul.— Science might go to the Devil before I would do so, by an enemy even. You see I am working up myself to the starting point—

I have often thought of History of great steps in Botany, but it would take a deal of reading, & I have no time for any—& then when we come down to later years I should offend every body.—³ And after all, should a President’s address be a “Scientific thesis”. I think not.— Who ever consulted such addresses, or regarded such as authorities?

Smith will supply the Euryalias & notes— he is again very poorly with palpitations of heart &c.⁴

I saw Woolner yesterday— he is to let me know when he goes to Down.⁵

Ever Yr affec | J D Hooker